Park has been my best friend since...oh...1971. I met him in church, though after awhile, he left and I stayed involved. He's gone through some tough times. His dad had cancer (in the brain) and so at the prime of adolescence, he basically grew up without the fatherly guidance most boys need to get through that time in life. Most people didn't see that part of Park's upbringing and just thought of him as one bad boy. I, on the other hand, could do no wrong. My reputation was so squeaky clean that guys like Park would trust me alone with his girlfriend. I'm the guy parents wanted their daughters to date. Park's the guy parents kept their kids away from. The truth is, I'm not as good as people thought I was (and yes...Park could trust me with his girlfriends...except maybe one. I did lust after her but I did kept to my personal code of ethics on that), and Park was/is not as bad as people thought he was. I think we were best friends because we knew this about each other and had more in common than most people thought. Inspite of our failings, we had a certain respect and trust of each other. We grew up looking out for each other. When Park got in some trouble, I was there to bail him out a few times. When I got in some trouble (I was bullied a lot as a kid), Park was there to stick up for me. When Park's dad succombed to the cancer, I was there with him. Park's dad was the very first person to die of cancer that affected me emotionally. I was with when Park when his mom died too.

I wasn't too happy with him when he dropped out of highschool. Then he started getting involved with the wrong group if "friends". The silver lining in that was that the "friends" never harrassed me for anything. I sometimes wonder whatever happened to some of those guys as they treated me like a friend (albeit an outsider) sometimes. At least he was working. He was a bartender and various restaurants and bars during the disco era. I was introduced to such drinks as grasshoppers and screwdrivers. But Park's life was still headed in the wrong direction and eventually, we barely kept in touch. Even after he got married. But somewhere in there, his life started to turn. Maybe most of us do grow up a bit. Maybe his wife made him a better person whether he knew it or not.

Park went back to school and graduated. He got a job as an inspector (of sorts) for the federal government (yeah! A goverment "job") and supported his family. We didn't really keep in touch that much as I thought he had a life with a wonderful wife and kid and I had to move on also. My priority was now my own family. So when Park called and said he was going to get a degree, I (shameful of me) sort of scoffed at him. I didn't think he had it in him to study for a degree. And what would he need it for at our age? Well, he studied part time and it dragged on and on. I was beginning to wonder if he was actually serious about graduating. Then a few things started to unravel. His marriage fell apart. That's a shame as I thought Park and his wife were great for each other. Apparently, the sacrifices needed to make a marriage work did not materialize. I'm hoping and praying both of them come to their senses and decide to keep trying as I believe a marriage is a lifelong journey of two poeple learning to love each other. But that's not my call. In anycase, Park is still my friend and I would do anything I could to see that he accomplishes his goal, because it is a worthy goal. The good thing about being alone again is you do have time to focus on your studies. But focussing is not an easy thing. Park would attest to that, having his studies interrupted by such things as a short-term missions trip (yah, he went back to church and went back to working on the spiritual things in life...but more on that some other time). Then he took a leave of absence from his job to study, only to get involved in his music career again (hey....if it wasn't for Park, I wouldn't have a reputation as a decent electric bass player or a guitarist myself). So inspite of my encouragement for him to get on with it, I had resigned myself that this might be a long wait for him to graduate. So what a surprise when he says convocations is next week.

I am so proud of Park. He is a guy who got few breaks in life and headed the wrong way. He managed to turn it around and become a contributing member of society. His ordeal leaves hope and inspiration for all those out there in the same position. Park graduates with a bachelor's degree in Humanities and all the potential that comes with it. Congratulations, Park! Well done!