The adventure is about to begin.
The oldest of our grandchildren, Hudson Lee, will graduate from Goddard High in Roswell, N.M., in May. A few months later, if all goes as he hopes, he will be a freshman studying political science and history at Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas. He received his acceptance notice a week ago to the private Baptist-affiliated school of 1,100 students.
He also is welcome to enroll at Lubbock (Texas) Christian University.
Not so long ago, it seems, Hudson lived with parents Sean and Brenda Lee in Olathe, an easy drive for us from Iola. Then, as it is with ministers, Sean was led to Ros-well, where today he is one of several ministers at Grace Community Church, a non-denominational with close to 2,000 members.
A favorite memory of wife Beverly and I was when Hudson was 3. He was buckled into our back seat and Beverly, as grandmothers are wont to do, told him, “You’re a bright boy, Hudson.” His reply, after some thought: “I have a lot of thinking in my head.”
He soon will have opportunity to use that thinking. University course work is a cut above high school.
The past couple of years, Hudson has followed more in his father’s footsteps, having taken part in two musical productions with the Roswell Community Theater — “Les Miserables” and “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat.” Howard Payne has a strong theater program, which didn’t escape his notice.
What lies ahead after four or five years of college —– maybe more if an advanced degree beckons — is beyond prediction, though politics intrigue Hudson.
He is a confirmed Republican. He probably has had little choice. Anyone living in eastern New Mexico risks having their citizenship revoked if they don’t find favor with the Grand Old Party.
Ted Cruz, somewhat to my dismay, is Hudson’s favorite among the current crop of Republican presidential hopefuls. He and I had a few set-tos the last time we were together.
Our political differences don’t reach divisiveness, though. And that’s the way it should be in familial relations and also among others.
Too bad we’ve reached the point in Topeka, Washington and many other seats of government, where those on opposite sides of the aisles can’t have their differences professionally, but remain at least on speaking terms out of chambers.
