“I was listening to the radio. I heard a song reminded me of long ago.”
I had the opportunity to do just that… went back to the Pike House for the “Mother of All Homecomings” (MOAH) at my Alma Mater, Missouri S&T (formerly known as the University of Missouri – Rolla).
It was a fantastic weekend, one I’m grateful that I didn’t miss.
There were old friends, new Brothers, and a renewed appreciation for the bonds that connect generations of Pikes.
It was great to see both and that my fraternity (Alpha Kappa Chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha) was very healthy and energized for the future.
You can go back, but time will not.
The house I knew no longer exists. Fire took it in 1999, along with the life of one of our Brothers. The building that stands today is new, but the spirit inside is familiar.
As I stood in the rebuilt Pike house, I couldn’t help but think about all that had changed since my years there from 1983 through 1987.
The old house is gone. Time has carried us all forward. Yet the brotherhood remains. New generations now walk those halls, adding their own stories to a place shaped by those who came before.
The memorial to our fallen Brother serves as a reminder that some memories must never fade. We can go back to the places that mattered, but not to the time itself. Perhaps that’s why the experience means so much. The years pass, but the bonds endure.
Brotherhood is carried forward by memory, service, and the men who choose to preserve it. As I left Rolla, I realized this trip wasn’t about going back. It was about seeing that what mattered most, never really left.
“Be courageous and be brave
And in my heart, you’ll always stay…”
Next time: The King of Kings
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