High school graduation. It was a beautiful thing. I watched along with a few hundred other people as all the young ladies and gentlemen walked, pranced, strut or just stumbled down the walkway to sit down in the neatly placed chairs on the lush green field. It had just poured minutes before we all went and sat down on the cold metal bleachers high school track field. I watched in awe and sometimes not being able to hear so well, as there were some babies or small children crying or getting restless and some running around. I know the little kids really didn't want to be there at all. They just wanted to play tag or go swinging on the great swings over in the playground. There was one woman who had an endless cough. She tried so hard to stay to the side of the crowd to not interrupt people; it really didn't work as well as she had hoped.
There were several speeches and all of them very well written. It made me look back and think of my own graduation day. Did I achieve all my goals, did I actually have any in high school? I know I had one or two and well by now I did meet them, but wow, the kids today. They are either getting smarter or I need to just keep reading more.
My daughter, Amber, came walking down and in a line, like all the rest, she lined up, received her diploma and back to her seat she went. Well, to her surprise her grandmother came all the way from Texas to see her graduate and just the she noticed her in the crowd. No one told Amber she was coming. It was the moment after the caps were thrown in the air and all the graduates were hugging each other, crying that they were happy or sad. Not sure of life in general. When Amber picked up her cap she came straight for us. I don't think I ever seen the girl go through a crowd of people so fast in my life. Just the look on her face was priceless. I was very happy for them both. It made my day, my year, my decade! It definitely made up for all the bad crap that has been happening. All the hugs for everyone around and then we took some great pictures, then headed home for pizza. I was exhausted to say the least.
18 years, long glorious years. What is in store next? This is the beginning of an end or the first end of her beginning. In any case, we all graduate all the time from something. Now to the next step for her and I move on to my next child, two more years to go and no more high school for me, for now.
I have to say, besides giving birth and feeling so elated and proud of her then and in kindergarten, this as been the absolute top proud time on my list. Oh, and getting a drivers license too.
So Amber, if you pop in and read this, I know you may from time to time. I love you and I am proud of you so much that it fills my heart so much it overflows into my eyes and they leak, for which these are not tears, my love, joy and happiness. You are my world.
