Homecoming

   It started like a lot of things do, with a war.

   No, I'm not talking about the United States, or the end of the world, or the end of a friendship or a relationship. This story begins with slavery, in the mid 1840s. The state of Missouri allowed it; the state of Kansas didn't. Fierce battling over this and other issues raged throughout the border in the years to come, and eventually cooled down enough to just become a bitter rivalry and loathing for those in the opposite state. About thirty years after the Civil War ended, the University of Kansas and the University of Missouri picked up a tamer, though more deadly, version of combat to prolong the Border Wars: ...the battleground? What would be called later "the gridiron", in the new game of "foot ball".
   For various reasons, it was played at a neutral site, in Kansas City most years, in St. Joseph, MO once. Due to some obscure conference ruling by someone, the games had to be shifted to the campus football fields in there somewhere. The two teams had played eighteen times, the Jayhawks had a 12-3-5 lead in the series.  
   "Something wasn't right here..." thought a guy named Chester L. Brewer. He was the Missouri athletic director(amazing that they had those way back then), and he pictured some more excitement was necessary, to maybe give the Tigers a little extra spark whenever they went up against the hated Jayhawks. So he worked on this idea and that, until he hit on one that seemed like it might work well: to invite Mizzou alumni to "come home" for the day or weekend to attend the football game, and if you're trying to get a lot of people to be in one place at the same time, what better way is there to do that than by having a parade? And then, once you have the crowd gathered, it'd be easy enough, most likely, to get them to listen to whatever it is you wanted to say by corralling them into a gathering with speeches and such. Call that a "spirit rally", say, and then those can lead into the actual contest...

   This "Homecoming" celebration, began on campus in the town of Columbia in 1911, was well received, as 10,000 gathered for the parade, bonfire and football game(It was another tie, 3-3), and quickly became an annual fixture. It became so well-known and proved so popular, other colleges copied the idea, and high schools joined in, too. And now, a hundred years later, nearly everywhere has them. There's crazy theme days, the royalty to select, some kind of gathering....lot of visitors in town honk their horns and get drunk and keep the police busy and people up all night...oh, and the home team always loses(okay, this last part isn't exactly proven, but from many years' experience following sports, it nearly always happens).

   Well, this was Homecoming week at Northeastern State, the theme was "Oh, the Places You'll Go(from here)", basically Dr. Seuss. So, the campus became filled with colorful signposts, peppermint-striped trees, random rainbow-hued flowers grew overnight, and the fountain turned green. A Comp I classmate(and cheerleader) described the scene this way; "Our campus is slowly turning into a cartoon! I love it!"
   I didn't really understand it, to be honest. Course, Dr. Seuss is kinda hard to understand sometimes. And I've never been that great at leaping into themed celebrations or anything. And I've never understood the concept of Homecoming, either. Sure, I knew that that was when the alumni were invited back and got together and talk about old memories, but why would they do that? What was necessary about the pageantry of the queen and the candidates and all, why did the candidates need their picture in the paper? ("Because they just need to, people expect it" isn't a very satisfactory answer, but they were taken anyways, and then briefly mentioned in the game recap.)
   And it involves school pride, right? Thought so...but, what's that, and why do people have it? These are the things I've always wondered as I stand on the sidelines, observing the culture of small town life. Maybe it's because I've moved a lot, or maybe because I was homeschooled, I don't know, but that seems like a totally foreign concept, a loyalty to a place, a school, to belong as a part of something's history like that.

   I didn't really go to any of the activities this week, didn't know about most of them. Was busy trying to study or stay warm, try not to get sick and keep my grades up. One thing I noticed about campus elections, though; campaign posters are a lot simpler, and you get free snacks and candy from candidates trying to get your vote. Real politics could take a cue from the students, then more folks might care, or even enjoy them. I voted for homecoming people, and I helped spray-paint the CCF float, but that's all.
   I'm just...not that kind of person, not that outgoing. Yeah, I like being around people, but not if they try too hard to be friendly and everything...I don't know. It's either that or dead silence...supposedly there's supposed to be this median level found somewhere, I haven't found it yet.

   The high school here in town had their Homecoming last night, and were clobbered 56-0, my grandpa was complaining about it on the way to Wal-Mart. Of course, they've had a horrible football team for the last twenty years, but still...kinda proves my point.
   The college parade was this morning, but with the temperature in the low forties and sleet coming down, I ran for the hideyhole of my dorm after getting a free donut in the bookstore(kind of sad when Ross is the warmest building on campus...). It was good to see all the older people smiling and talking to each other in the student union, that's a necessary part of life that doesn't exist here in this campus bubble. Everyone is about your own age, it's kinda depressing.
   The weather cleared up enough to venture out into the world by afternoon, it had settled into being merely a very cold day from the oncoming ice storm it wanted to become in the morning. I walked to the football field, trekked up to my usual place on the highest bleacher(it's warmest up there, plus you have the best view of the field, and are close to the press box), and stayed for less than one quarter. The 'Hawks were getting murdered again, and it was too cold to be sitting there if you didn't have to. Missouri Western was leading 21-3, they won 45-31, keeping NSU winless on the year.
 
   Got a little bit of studying done, but I don't think quite enough needed. Tried to connect the rented laptop I'm getting to use for school to the Internet, couldn't figure that out. Played my guitar for a bit til my fingers froze, and wandered around the deserted campus. Had dinner at Chick-Fil-A, fourth time I've eaten there this week, called my family, talked to them for over an hour and a half. Talked to my friend Mark Twain, he was telling me some stories about a boy named Tom. (Amazing conversationalist, I highly recommend spending some time with him. He usually hangs around libraries and bookstores.) That was nice, good well-written books brighten life.

   Hope the alumni enjoyed their time here, got caught up on memories and how friends are doing, and are glad they came. But for me...well, not only is it the weird apathy for holidays, but why would anyone want to come back here if they could escape?
   Not "Homecoming", more like "Homestaying", or "Homeleaving". Yeah, this is home base for a while...but it isn't home. Almost nowhere feels really like home, actually, because I grew up so many places, sort of like Tolkien's Rangers, always going from place to place.  An oven mitt in my aunt's kitchen sums it up pretty well: "Home is where your mom is." This is where I'm placed for now, and I'm surviving, with the grace of God. Having a hard time with the "thriving" part, though. Lot of lyrics seem to fit well, in particular those from Building 429's "Where I Belong"(the chorus) and Carrie Underwood's "Temporary Home"(the whole thing) and "Don't Forget To Remember Me"(part of the second verse). I'm just so...weary most of the time, cold, tired, stressed and lonely, trying to hang on to the belief that I can get through this, wondering what God's trying to teach me. Thankful for hymns I've memorized and can dwell on.
   Trying to serve God as best I know how, daily reminded that this world isn't really my home, either. Nope.  Not til heaven, I won't be there yet. Until then...I'm trying to remember that "What I feel is tellin' me I'm goin' crazy/But what is real says God's still on His throne/What I need is to remember one thing/That the Lord of the gentle breeze is Lord of the rough and tumble/And he is the King of the Jungle". (King of the Jungle, Steven Curtis Chapman)
   And, I've gotten through half a semester of college, that's a good thing. Still sort of living on a prayer.