NeuroDivine

Written following the 30th reunion of the Class of 1996, Ballymena Academy.

Three decades on, we met again,
A circle grown with time;
The years between fall gentle now,
As stories softly chime.

We spoke of days that shaped us once,
But not as those who pine;
Just holding lightly what we were—
A thread through present time.

The navy-red striped ties we wore
Are memories, nothing more;
Yet something of that steadfast bond
Still hummed beneath the roar.

The badger on the old school crest
Comes back in quiet cheer;
The lamp of learning flickers still
In all we’ve carried here.

Some guide their children through exams,
Some walk with dogs at dawn;
Some share their homes with cats who rule,
Some tread their paths alone.

But laughter at shared long tables
Makes all the years feel small;
A reckoning that friendship lasts
Beyond the classroom wall.

So may we meet again in time,
Not let the moments fly;
For Tenax Propositi still holds—
A truth we can’t deny.

Reflection

School reunions are often described as journeys into the past. Yet the most meaningful gatherings are rarely about reliving old days. Instead, they remind us how far we have travelled since then.

The ties, the badge, the classrooms, and even the school motto remain familiar landmarks, but they are no longer the centre of the story. The real story is found in the lives that have unfolded over thirty years: families raised, careers pursued, friendships sustained, losses endured, and new paths discovered.

What struck me most was not how much had changed, but how much remained. Beneath the passing years, there was still laughter, shared understanding, and a sense of belonging. The old motto, Tenax Propositi—steadfast of purpose—seemed less a school slogan than a description of the people gathered around those tables.

Perhaps that is the gift of reunion: not a return to who we were, but a recognition of who we have become, and of the friendships that continue beyond the classroom wall.

Copyright ©️ 2026 Michael McFarland Campbell.