pomp... no circumstance

Last night my niece and goddaughter graduated from high school. I was remarkably together about the whole thing, I got choked up but didn't dissolve and surely didn't make a fool of myself. I had forgotten what the graduation ceremony is like at her school -- loaded with speakers--a "class speaker" which was a monotone student and an alum who is now the head cardiac surgeon at the state's best hospital and the principal. I guess three speakers isn't really loaded but the whole ceremony took a couple of hours. My sister & I had great seats, albeit bleacher seats. Somehow we got lucky enough to sit in a draft!! Usually it gets so stuffy in that gymnasium that I get a panicky feeling and want to bolt. But our seats had a great vantage point, weren't packed with people and were close enough to the action to enjoy every minute.

Unfortunately, it was threatening to rain the whole evening. Pictures required a flash it was so dark and dreary. And it was quite windy, enough so that when we came out of the gym my allergies kicked into high gear. But, it is much better than sweltering!

I can't believe my baby girl is... now an adult. I spent a lot of time with her when she was a toddler, I babysat her one whole summer and everyone talked about how much she resembled me. I've always thought of her as "my girl." Now she's off to the real world of work for a few months and then embarking on an exciting college experience. Where did the time go?

I keep thinking of all the graduates--my niece and all the kids at school--who are so excited to graduate. Oh, the things they don't know about what they're getting into. They are excited to be done school but don't have any idea how the real world is going to hit them. It's both scary and exciting. And I can only wish them well. Any words of wisdom I would share would fall on deaf ears, that I know for sure.