Graduations Past

It is that time of year again, when my mind travels to graduations past. For me, graduation is always filled with conflicting emotions. It is the end of something tried and true and the beginning of a new chapter in the life for the graduate. I certainly have been to my share of graduations and I must admit that my mind begins to wander during the lengthy ceremony. Flashes of pictures from the past seem to overtake the often dry parade of speeches. Though I am not a fan of crowded rooms or multiple speakers, I do enjoy the class address. Many times the speeches given by members of the graduating class outshine the keynote address.

When I graduated from school, I remember the thrilling feeling of jumping headfirst into life. When my children graduated school, I was proud, but also a little melancholy. I knew that my life, too, would be changing and, while I was happy that they had reached a milestone, it was a little unsettling. When my grandchild graduated school, I was beaming with pride. From experience with my own children, I knew that life changes fast and you must celebrate each moment when it comes. I know that the graduates of 2017 are excited for the future, and I know that their parents are teetering between pride and heartbreak. I also know that graduation is only the first step into adulthood, and those graduates are once again freshmen in the ways of the world. They will still need guidance, and home will always be home, no matter how far they roam. Certainly, things will change – and they should! –  but graduation is just the first small step into the rest of their lives. First steps have always made for great memories. Congratulations Class of 2017 and Congratulations parents! These are the things that memories are made of.