Oh, Winona!

It's good for my soul any time I can make a trip to Winona, Minnesota. I was reminded of how much I love that place when I happened to be there by myself one afternoon last week. R.J. and I go to Winona kind of often; however, without him, the trip felt different. My thoughts were left to wander on their own. Over and over again, I was flooded with memories, and all sorts of emotions just washed over me. It was kind of like that whole “life flashing before your eyes” thing. I remembered going to Winona as a kid. My mom and my four older brothers (all more than a decade older than me) all graduated from Winona State College. I remembered visiting my brothers there. I remembered their graduations. I remembered going up to Garvin Heights and admiring the view. Those memories were more concrete than emotional, but they represented the beginning of my relationship with Winona.

A brother graduating from WSC (1967?)

Dad and Mom with another brother, graduating from WSC

Two brothers and one sister-in-law, graduating from WSC

The family with my mom for her graduation from WSC
(blurry but worth including, as she worked hard for her degree)

It seemed only natural when, in 1978, I began my college career at what was by then called Winona State University. As I walked by Lake Winona last Thursday, looking up at the bluffs, I could feel the tingle of the nervous excitement I first felt all those years ago as I took a step toward independence by heading off to college. So many people made that first year away from home formative for me. I made life-long friendships and grew in my faith journey. In the moment of remembering, those days seemed but a breath away – but they were really 45 years ago. How can that be?

My dad and I as we loaded the car as I headed off to Winona State

The mental pictures kept coming. I remembered how blessed I felt in the community of friends I had found. Eventually, that community included R.J. as well, and the memories of our early days together – bumpy at times – made me smile. There were so many things to remember: walking across the street to McVey’s for milkshakes, participating in Campus Ministry events, driving up to Garvin Heights to admire the view, talking until the late into night, gaming until late into the night, sitting in the PAC for one of R.J.’s shows, and so much more. Like in a dream, the memories came fast and in a blur, all jumbled together.

Me, on the end playing guitar, surrounded by some of the most amazing friends ever

My dad and me, at my graduation from WSU

More amazing college friends

R.J.'s WSU graduation

"Godspell" R.J., flanked by his brothers

Even when R.J. and I finally moved away in 1987, Winona was still a big part of our lives. I’m pretty sure there was never a year when we didn’t make (at least) one trip to Winona. I remembered all the times we dragged our kids around town, showing them all the places where we had lived there, taking them to the campus to walk around, and driving them up to Garvin Heights to admire the view – then placating them with a trip to Dairy Queen at the end of those days.

Our kids on one of our trips to Garvin Heights

The memories continued. Our first-born decided to attend college at Winona State University as well. Mixed in with remembering my own anxiety at heading off to college, I was remembering my anxiety at sending her – and my excitement as well. I remembered my joy when she found her community and when she found her love there as well. I remembered all the fall pictures I took there, bringing all the other kids over to Winona so Emily could be in the pictures, too - and then adding Eric into the pictures when he came along. I remembered how excited our youngest was to join the WSU family and all the growing up he did there. Helping those two move, visiting them, meeting their friends, hearing their stories, going to Garvin Heights with them to admire the view, loving those bluffs the whole time – the memories swirled some more.

Em with college roommate Yurie

Em & Eric's engagement pictures, on the steps to Somsen Hall

Em's graduation picture, by Minne Hall

A family picture at Lake Winona

David, saying goodbye to siblings, outside of Conway Hall

David, posing for a fall picture up at Garvin Heights, during his time in college there

David's graduation day

Us, at Winona State at the time of David's graduation

Then I thought about another group of freshmen getting ready to start their adventures in Winona, another fall where they can see the colors change on those beautiful bluffs, more folks going up to Garvin Heights to admire the view, another beginning-growing-loving-learning season for a new set of people. The what-is-to-come mixed in with the what-was and the what-is. I fell completely in love with Winona all over again. It was hard to drive home to Rochester with tears in my eyes. I couldn’t even fully explain why I was crying, but I desperately wanted to explain it to someone. As I drove up the hill toward home, I imagined I was in my old Grand Am with the 8-track player going. I imagined a car-full of friends singing along with me. How in the world did a lifetime of memories smush themselves into one little trip to Winona? I’m not entirely sure, but I am so grateful for that little trip in the time machine. And if you were a part of that journey on any part of that timeline, I am grateful for you as well.

The view from Garvin Heights, one of the million times I have seen it.