See You At The Pole | Tragic Comedy

At the end of my college career, I walked on the campus of the University of Maryland for the thousandth time. Near the chapel, in front of an administrative building, stood flagpoles bearing the flag of the State of Maryland flying slightly lower than the flag of the United States. Annually, in September, students are encouraged to gather at the flagpole of their school and pray, an event called "See You At The Pole". Constitutionally, schools are prohibited to sponsor prayer meetings but students are able to organize events themselves. I went soon after hearing of a grassroots event held in Texas. It had not spread wide enough to yet reach Maryland because at 7:00 a.m. on this chilly morning, I was alone.
I had recently been awarded my Master's degree and had come to express my gratitude to God for His guiding hand. Today, crowds assemble on an international stage in Canada, Korea, Japan, Turkey, and Cote d'Ivoire among other countries. But on that particular day thirty years ago, only one brave man was present to pray alone. I prayed for the school, my family, friends, church, and community. And God heard.
It's almost certain that others were there that same day as I, it's a rather large campus, certainly with many more flagpoles. I only went for a few scattered years, my life taking me away from campus but the number of students attending grew each year with the last one in which I participated numbering a few hundred.
I say to myself each year that I should go but life intervenes as it's wont to do. Maybe next year...

One Reply to See You At The Pole

Scott Hardie | December 22, 2021
I had never heard of this tradition until now, but then, I was an atheist in college. Regardless, I really like the idea that people all around the world are praying at the same time in the same way (allowing for time zone, right?). Wikipedia has info about the movement if you're curious like me. Steve, I appreciate you mentioning this, and I hope that you do get around to going again.

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