Something extraordinary happened this weekend
Mike Murphy '79 (Murph!) giving a rousing speech!
Our legendary, yet beleaguered fraternity is finding its way after years of challenges and setbacks.
Our beloved, yet severely aged house is coming to the end of her amazing tenure. She provided joys, laughs, and unforgettable moments that will forever live in our memories.
And while these two realities describe our circumstances, we felt a renewed sense of connection hanging out at the house this weekend. The span of our pledge classes varied, and we gathered for the sole purpose of celebrating a home. Who does that? Who goes out of their way to celebrate a home? At least one person flew in from LA (Steven Graham).
Some described this weekend's activities as one of the best times they've ever had at the house. As I reflect on why that may be true, I think about the positive energy everyone had. There was airiness and light-heartedness - and for this weekend, we put the stresses of the world on hold and made our fun Beta memories our focus.
What added to the unique flow & energy of the weekend was how guys - who may have been slightly close in age, yet far enough away that they didn't know each during their respective years at Beta - were now connecting with new friendships - that immediately felt familiar.
The weekend was all about good people. No BS. Easy laughs. Comparing experiences of different eras. It was a lot fun, and we felt a renewed sense of connection.
If you had been with the 40 to 50 of us who gathered, you would not have felt the weight a beleaguered fraternity. On the contrary, you would have felt joy, connection and a bit of optimism - as you observed everyone cheerfully raising their glasses.
We still have something extraordinary between us. It may feel like we're swimming against the tide as an organization, but we're not so long as we bind together and nurture the amazing connection we have.
Our beloved, yet severely aged house is coming to the end of her amazing tenure. She provided joys, laughs, and unforgettable moments that will forever live in our memories.
And while these two realities describe our circumstances, we felt a renewed sense of connection hanging out at the house this weekend. The span of our pledge classes varied, and we gathered for the sole purpose of celebrating a home. Who does that? Who goes out of their way to celebrate a home? At least one person flew in from LA (Steven Graham).
Some described this weekend's activities as one of the best times they've ever had at the house. As I reflect on why that may be true, I think about the positive energy everyone had. There was airiness and light-heartedness - and for this weekend, we put the stresses of the world on hold and made our fun Beta memories our focus.
What added to the unique flow & energy of the weekend was how guys - who may have been slightly close in age, yet far enough away that they didn't know each during their respective years at Beta - were now connecting with new friendships - that immediately felt familiar.
The weekend was all about good people. No BS. Easy laughs. Comparing experiences of different eras. It was a lot fun, and we felt a renewed sense of connection.
If you had been with the 40 to 50 of us who gathered, you would not have felt the weight a beleaguered fraternity. On the contrary, you would have felt joy, connection and a bit of optimism - as you observed everyone cheerfully raising their glasses.
We still have something extraordinary between us. It may feel like we're swimming against the tide as an organization, but we're not so long as we bind together and nurture the amazing connection we have.
June 27-28, 2020 - the weekend before the demolition of house