I’ve been seeing lots and lots of graduation photos on Facebook over the past few days. Graduations, for me, are a lot like weddings—they are usually too long and the audience is not always well-behaved, and I try to go to as few of them as possible!
Wait, did I write that out loud?
Sorry, I was kidding about that (a little bit, anyway).
The real reason that graduations are like weddings for me is that they are reminders.
Without fail, the ring ceremony at a wedding (whether I am simply attending or actually performing the ceremony) results in my looking at my left hand and the ring on it and being reminded of the promises I made almost 37 years ago to my Sweetie and my God.
The day she put that ring on my finger marked the end of one life chapter and the beginning of a new adventure.
Graduations are the same. I can’t go to one without thinking of all the times I have donned the cap and gown through high school, college, and two seminaries. Each one marked a culmination of one journey and the beginning of the next adventure. And though I never plan to gain another degree, I am reminded that my life has been a continuing process of learning and growing.
Graduation is not a final destination; it is a layover as the journey commences (hence the oft used term “commencement”).
Almost a decade after my last graduation, we began attending the commencement ceremonies of the next generation—those of our kids and their spouses. Though we didn’t intentionally try to make it happen, all of them happened to graduate from our alma mater—now known as West Texas A&M University. (When we are all gathered, we have seven degrees from that institution in the room).
It has been almost 8 years since the last of those ceremonies and, over the past couple of weeks, another round has begun. Our oldest granddaughter graduated from kindergarten and our oldest grandson from Pre-K.
We were unable to attend either of those because of distance and space restrictions, so we have had to be content with photos and videos provided by their parents.
My pondering on this turn of events is as follows:
- Grandchildren graduations? What the heck? I can’t be that old!
- They are just getting started and my prayers for them will only intensify as they move through each stage of growing up.
- How can I be sure that I adequately celebrate every milestone they reach in life?
- How can I be sure they know I am always proud of them regardless of their accomplishments? They need not accomplish anything for me to be proud to be their grandpa.
- How can I demonstrate a love for learning and growing that helps them understand that the next adventure is always worth pursuing?
- How can I be a part of helping them discover their Amazing?
For those who are graduating, I say, “Congraduations!”
For parents, grandparents, and mentors who are celebrating graduates, I say, “Let your tears be tears of gratitude and hopefulness as they commence to the next chapter.”
For all of us, I say, “God has an amazing life for us yet to live. Let us commence in living it!”
Be amazing today, my friend.
