SCU - Friendship....

Some of our most treasured friendships were begun during 1967  (following SF’s Summer of Love), at, and following,  Santa Clara University. 

These friendships have been nurtured and affected, over the decades, with: births and deaths; marriages (sometimes divorces); life successes (and our failures); health scares and/or health “realities”; travel experiences; gifting and sharing our life paths; laughing and crying; together.   

Little known fact - Synchronicity...
 
The Sweet and Fair families have had a four generation “relationship”.   Jay first remembers coming home from high school to see his grandmother (Ba-Ba) playing cards with Mrs. Weiss, her San Francisco friend from Baker St., San Francisco, who now lived in Mill Valley (from 1954-1979).    

About four years later, Jay meet Tom Fair, Mrs. Weiss’ grandson, at the Lake Merced boathouse, at the SCU Orientation for Marin/SF incoming Frosh and they become best of friends.   Later, their parents, Jack/Dot and Bob/Jane  met and became fast friends, also.  

Today, the fourth generation, Fair great grandsons and the Sweet great grandsons are also close acquaintances.    Jay and Suzan still live in Jane Fair’s mothers and Tom Fair’s grandmother’s house (Mrs. Weiss),  Mill Valley home, since 1980.

Giving.....
 
My spiritual awakening began at Santa Clara.  Unlike a lot of SCU Catholic youth, who were forced to go to Catholic primary and secondary schools, I was a public school person, the only student from Redwood High School to go to Santa Clara University.  

Yes, I had catechism and was “forced” to go to 7am or 8am mass, frequently, in my youth.  But SCU was different.  It spoke a lot of volunteering (new to me).  SCU spoke about being of service to those who were in-need “of a hand” (not a hand-out).  Eucharist was sometimes consecrated over a dining room table, with blessed local wine and French bread (by Father Sweeters).  

This “of service” education became complete when I married my wife, Suzan, who was one of the most service-oriented people I have ever been fortunate to know.   While I still work significant hours in our little company,  we often have time to work at St. Anthony’s or help out our community in a myriad of other ways.  Thanks to Santa Clara and thank you to my beautiful wife, Suz’, for teaching me the gift of giving.

JAY SWEET