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Hope
My oldest daughter graduated from high school this weekend. I’m so very proud of her. My Mom sat next to me during the ceremony. At one point, Mom reminded me that she and my Dad were married a little more than 6 months after their high school graduation. I swallowed hard, realizing my first born, the little girl who snuggled in my arms as I read her fairy tails before bed, was now all grown up.
The ceremony was filled with pomp and circumstance. Most of the speeches were no more to me than a din in the background as my attentions focused on my daughter, now a beautiful young lady, seated on the stage. The ceremony crept on. The keynote speaker, a former graduate of the school now a PhD in foreign affairs, walked to the podium. I braced myself for a talk on the trouble Middle East or politics of the like. Instead, I found truth in her words.
The speech began as she turned to address the students seated behind her…”Do you feel that? That feeling in your stomach?…That’s the feeling of hope! The feeling that there’s a great big world out there with all kinds of opportunity just waiting for you. Hold on to that…don’t ever lose it!” The smiles of the graduates were obvious despite my distance from the stage. “That’s also the feeling of trepidation. That great big world is full of the challenges. Hold on to that too…you’ll need both these feelings to succeed.”
She was right. Life isn’t black and white. The shades of grey, the mixed emotions are all part and parcel of real life, each balancing the other. And so has been the past few months…the trepidation, the ‘what ifs” of how life might change…the hope to regain what I thought was lost. Ultimately, neither emotion prevailed unscathed. Rather, that which was lost is of little consequence compared to the insight gained.
Tonight, my youngest graduates from Junior High marking yet another milestone in her young life and in my not so young existence. I can’t help but think about the opportunities which lay before her…and the challenges she’ll face moving forward. Life goes on…and so it should.
The ceremony was filled with pomp and circumstance. Most of the speeches were no more to me than a din in the background as my attentions focused on my daughter, now a beautiful young lady, seated on the stage. The ceremony crept on. The keynote speaker, a former graduate of the school now a PhD in foreign affairs, walked to the podium. I braced myself for a talk on the trouble Middle East or politics of the like. Instead, I found truth in her words.
The speech began as she turned to address the students seated behind her…”Do you feel that? That feeling in your stomach?…That’s the feeling of hope! The feeling that there’s a great big world out there with all kinds of opportunity just waiting for you. Hold on to that…don’t ever lose it!” The smiles of the graduates were obvious despite my distance from the stage. “That’s also the feeling of trepidation. That great big world is full of the challenges. Hold on to that too…you’ll need both these feelings to succeed.”
She was right. Life isn’t black and white. The shades of grey, the mixed emotions are all part and parcel of real life, each balancing the other. And so has been the past few months…the trepidation, the ‘what ifs” of how life might change…the hope to regain what I thought was lost. Ultimately, neither emotion prevailed unscathed. Rather, that which was lost is of little consequence compared to the insight gained.
Tonight, my youngest graduates from Junior High marking yet another milestone in her young life and in my not so young existence. I can’t help but think about the opportunities which lay before her…and the challenges she’ll face moving forward. Life goes on…and so it should.
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Comment by Carol on June 24, 2008 at 10:21am
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Congrats to your girls! My oldest is graduating junior high tonight. They grow so quickly and I haven't found time to get old yet! LOL
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Comment by Drew on June 24, 2008 at 11:29am
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Congrats to not only the girls but also to you Tony for raising them. Best of luck to your oldest daughter in her future now that she is done with one major chapter in her life, is she planning on going to college? And good luck to your youngest as she faces high school, just remind her to enjoy it once in a while and not get too caught up in the drama of everything. And of course best of luck to you for having to worry about them as they grow up and try (key word there) to become more independent. haha
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Comment by Billie on June 24, 2008 at 4:43pm
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Congrats!! As I read your post, it brought a few tears to my eyes. How well I remember my oldest graduating in 2005 & now I am faced with my youngest doing so this next year in 2009. (already having some empty nest feelings here myself)
Even while we are so proud of their accomplishments and want them to succeed in life; there are those times I wish I could go back and hold them as little ones just once more and a bit tighter. Sigh~
Life does go forward as we all know it does. Things change and all of us get older. We all just have to hope their futures will remain bright and not be overshadowed by the worlds transgressions today.
I do hope if your daughter plans to go on to college she succeeds in making her dreams come true! Again, Congrats and Enjoy!
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