The month of May brings about many things.  May flowers, the Kentucky Derby, Cinco de Mayo, and this year, even a royal coronation, but it is also the month for most high school and college graduations.  All over the country, young men and women will be dressing in gowns and mortar boards, shaking hands with academic elite as they walk across stages, and awkwardly hugging that uncle or aunt they see once a year (and who is totally embarrassing them right now by whooping and hollering in the audience).

Even so, graduations are a special time in a young adult’s life.  It’s a celebration of achievement, either from high school or higher education.  For many, it’s the only time in their lives that they will experience the “pomp and circumstance” of recognition for their accomplishments, and even more so for this year’s graduating class, who have battled COVID-related changes, cancellations, and disruptions over the past four years.  It’s definitely a life event to be celebrated, no matter what level of learning is being highlighted.

My eldest is graduating from college this month (has it been four years already?), and members of the family will be gathering to suffer through long car rides, parking lot crowds, and field house mania – all for the chance to see my daughter walk across that stage and get her college degree.  It’s her moment in the sun, and the culmination of over sixteen years of academics, after which she’ll come down off that podium and – ready or not – she gets her “adulting” pro card.  One chapter ends and another begins.

Sorry if I wax nostalgic for a bit, but has it really been thirty-four years since I last walked across a college stage?  Sheeesh, I’m getting old.  I remember my mother got a form in the audience that day to purchase a photo of me shaking hands with the dean (since she was buried in the back of the field house crowd).  On the form, after all of her contact and payment information, it stated “describe your child”.  Oh boy, this ought to work out well.  There were a few thousand graduating from my university that day, and of course we thought there was no way we’d get the correct photo, but lo and behold, a few weeks later, a picture arrived with a smiling face shaking hands with academic royalty (yes, it was me in the photo).

I’m not an emotional mess at these types of gatherings, but I’m sure I’ll have a lump of pride in my throat as I hear my daughter’s name echoing through the field house speakers and see her proudly stride across the platform to mark the end of her academic journey.  As comedian Ron White would say “it’s gonna be a good day, Tater.”

I hope I can offer a good description on the photo form.

Congratulations graduates, enjoy your special day!