Your One + Only...
High School Graduation Day
Your big day is finally here, after 13 years of required education. Whether it's sunken in yet or not, your robe has been hanging for days to remove the pesky wrinkles, your family is traveling from varying distances to celebrate with you, and you've spent your last day as a High School student. You will soon be standing on the big stage, frantically anticipating the second the loud speakers project your name in the hot midday air. The days of being required to go to school by regulations from the state are behind you. Next stop: whatever you want it to be. You can do whatever you want to do- go to college, get married, join the military- and be whomever you want. This day is ALL ABOUT YOU. Relish in that fact. Embrace every detail. Give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done.
Also realize that it is a big day for your parents as well. They've taken care of you and given you more love, care and opportunities than you deserve. Now it's time for them to watch you stand on your own two feet. Be appreciative, be gracious, be humbled. They have sacrificed more than you can imagine to help get you that diploma today. Don't forget how big of a role they played in that. Thank them for being the people who see all of who you are- even parts of you that you wanted to hide away from the rest of the world- and for still loving you even after hours of long talks about how they expected better. In the cases of absentee parents or braving the bumpy road alone, appreciate your mentors, how much harder you've worked to get yourself to this point and the teachers and staff of your schools who have put in countless hours and efforts to make you ready for the beginning of the rest of your life. These teachers are such special people as there are no other people as kindhearted and good intentioned as them.
Be grateful to friends- old and new- who have been there, even if it was only intermittedly. Thank them for being someone whom you could trust with some of your heaviest thoughts and baggage. Thank them for the deep belly laughs that almost made you pee your pants and for their presence in the many moments they sat with you in silence.
Embrace the journey, learn from mistakes and reflect on how lucky you are (even on some of your bad days) to be where you are, received the education you did, and have the opportunities you've been given. You're a big kid now, so what are you going to do about it?