October 2001 Volume 82 Number 10 "serving the protectors"
By Trevor Haskell PASA Vice President

Reminiscing

Life is a continuous learning process. The experiences of yesterday and today shape our reactions to tomorrow.

It can be enlightening to reflect upon our past. Sometimes the reminiscing is triggered by events that create images of the past. So it has been in recent days for me. The first trigger was a letter from a former course colleague, who had begun to plan the celebration of course 29’s graduation nearly 30 years ago.

It helped me recollect times that were very special to me. I found myself searching for the old photos, and then pondering on them with shakes of the head and laughs. A second trigger was the sudden and severe illness of one of the course - an illness from which, thankfully, he has recovered.

On my daily walk, I experienced triggers to memories that a week previously did not create a link. Experiences of walking on King William Rd, stopping and watching dance classes through a shop window.

Those memories of our dance classes at the academy auditorium. The classes provided us the excuse to go out of the grounds to pick up our dance partners and return them home. An extra night’s escape, not to mention some pleasant company. Of songs, which conjured up memories of sitting in the dormitory corridors singing to strumming guitars. Of visits to the academy, where I can suddenly see the place as it was - less civilized but much more interesting.

I also reflected on where the course members had moved. We are scattered across the state, some now out of the job, many still within. I always felt that we were a close-knit course. We were smaller than most courses, and there had always seemed to be many positive memories. Now, as a more (I hope) thoughtful person, I wonder who of the course might have had less positive memories. Groups can be powerful agents of conformity or alienation. At whose pain were some of my cadet days’ stunts performed? Who did I unknowingly tread on? To whom might I owe an apology?

My reactions to and thoughts about events of today are founded on a personal belief system that has been shaped by my history. My history has created the personality I exhibit. Our history is multi-faceted, as is the personality we disclose.

People change their outward persona in varied situations. People who see me only on the tennis court would have a very different view of my personality than those who see me at the office (or at least I would like to think so). Our previous interactions with individuals impact upon how we deal with them in the present. My old cadet course members may still see me through their view of me from 29 years ago. Their view might be based on a limited number of events they recall, but their current view may be still powerful.

While in the midst of writing these musings, another event jolted me back to my cadet years. It was then with sadness I heard of the passing of a friend of our course and the father of GT and Robyn. The memories were indeed flowing as I reminisced of this lovely man and his wife Val. Their relationship with the course grew in a completely unplanned way, and their home became a sort of haven for our course during the three years of our training. There would often be the planned get-togethers at their house, which seemed to expand to take us all in (perhaps our girths were leaner), but there were also the unplanned meetings, at which any number would just appear, take over the lounge, and sit and talk. They were not parental figures but, for me, adult friends who provided a listening ear and always a well-meaning word.

After our passing-out parade - which was for us all our rite of passage into adulthood - we moved into our new lives. The contact over the next 29 years was limited but always warmly looked forward to until this last one for Mr Burns. Though we had always known his name and he would want us to call him Gil, he was always Mr Burns as Val was Mrs Burns. His funeral was full of memories, and I could hear and see him clearly as we sat in the church. Afterwards, reminiscing with the family and friends provided me with a reminder of all who have helped me to grow.

We are not self-made. We are the outcome of our lifetime of interaction with others.

To all members of course 29, thanks for your support through the years of our course. I hope that we will meet next year to celebrate and renew our friendships.

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