By Alvin William Musgrave, Jr.
To gather for our 50th, we came from near and far,
Returning to San Marcos, traveling by plane and car,
To meet old friends and classmates, reminisce about the past,
Each knowing their good fortune as a member of our Class.
We were the lucky ones.
We met up at the Saltgrass, the old ice house at the falls,
Where we once swam and played as swirling waters called.
Now youth still come here to enjoy the river and the sun.
They can never truly know, all that we had won.
We were the lucky ones.
As we talked with one another, through our evening of good cheer,
Memories of school days flooded back, in this our 50th year:
The purple and the white we wore; Rattler spirit buoyed our soul;
Fun we had; pains of youth, days of Rock and Roll.
We were the lucky ones.
To those classmates no more with us, yet ever with us still,
We laughed and talked about you, as we surely always will.
Recalling youthful faces, that time cannot erase,
A variegated tapestry, woven in time and place.
We were the lucky ones.
With diplomas raised up proudly, we went forth in ‘59,
To achieve our dreams and answer the calls of our time,
Not fully comprehending all we had received while young
From parents, teachers, town, so often, gone unsung.
We were the lucky ones.
In looking back, we now see clearly and embrace,
That we were fortunate to start out in this unique time and place.
In our San Marcos “village,” we were watched over as we grew,
Where being “bad” was not so bad, when even parents knew.
We were the lucky ones.
With fun and great experiences had, where we all got our start,
Life’s truths we learned early on, hard lessons to impart.
New students joined as classmates, all welcomed, their fears allayed.
Competing, winning, losing, striving, helped shape us to this day.
We were the lucky ones.
Our melting pot of contrasts enriched us even more.
Different cultures, interests, talents, and rich beside the poor
Left many that evening feeling a sense of some regret:
“I wish that I had known you more before our paths were set.”
We are the lucky ones.
Our lives have followed many paths, each true to their own choice.
Some stayed, some left, all did their part and added their own voice.
For the many contributions made, this we know and can proudly say,
The world today is a better place because we passed this way.
We are the lucky ones.
From our vantage point of 50 years, we now understand and know;
We celebrate not just our Class, but the gifts that were bestowed,
The gift that has enabled our success in many ways.
For this, mere words cannot express our heartfelt, grateful praise.
We are the lucky ones.
From our gift springs hope that each daughter and each son
May be as fortunate as we were, taking pride in what they’ve won.
So like our Class of ‘59, may they, too, their dreams achieve
And looking back from future years with all their hearts believe:
We are the lucky ones.
As this ode comes to a close, the next verse in our lives unfolds.
Reflecting on our 50th, there’s a message to be told.
For what we were bequeathed, we have tomorrows still to attain.
By passing on to others, we realize the full measure of this refrain.
We are the lucky ones, San Marcos High School Class of ‘59.
