I have really enjoyed the months and weeks leading up to graduation, with our photos and little interviews with the members of the Class of 2010. I am amazed that these kids are old enough to be graduating. I remember when they were “Paddling to the Sea” at North House in third grade or graduating from DARE in fifth grade or planting trees in middle school. It seems like just moments ago that they were little boys and girls. Now they are young men and women, ready to take on the world.
Writing Unorganized Territory
the week of graduation is an easy task. There is a lot I could say. I could tell the graduates that I can recall with crystal clarity the muddle of emotions on commencement day. I could tell them that I hugged my friends and cried because everything was changing. And I could tell them that I danced joyfully around the school lunchroom in my graduation gown because everything was changing.
I could offer sage advice, but I won’t. I know the Class of 2010 is far too busy with goodbyes and with planning and packing and preparing for their new adventures to listen.
So, I will follow a tradition that began a few years ago. This Unorganized Territory
is for the parents. Theparents are also busy—finishing home improvement projects so everything will look nice for the graduation open house; cleaning out the spare bedroom for out-of-town guests; trying to figure out how many burgers and brats to order and what sort of salads to fix; and figuring out what to wear to graduation in the steamy hot gym.
This is for those parents, because as clearly as I remember the mixed emotions at my own graduation, I more clearly recall the graduation of my children.
We all know that our children will grow up and leave us someday. But we tend to forget that when we’re comforting a colicky baby at 3:00 a.m. We don’t think about our adorable, troublesome two-year-old packing his bags one day and moving away. We don’t think about graduation when we are shuttling kids to soccer or football practice. And we think, when our children become obnoxious teenagers, that we can’t wait for them to leave home.
And finally—suddenly—all those memories—good and bad—come flooding back. And with them, tears.
For those parents, I’m ending with a longer-than-usual quote. It is on a plaque I received from my mom when my first “baby” graduated. I’ve shared this Erma Bombeck quote at graduation for a couple of years now. It still makes me tear up when I read it, but I still find comfort in it. I hope the parents of the Class of 2010 do too.
Children are like kites. You spend a
lifetime trying to get them off the
ground. You run with them until
you’re both breathless – they crash
– you add a longer tail – they hit the
rooftop – you pluck them out of the
spout – you patch and comfort, adjust
and teach. You watch them lifted by
the wind and assure them that someday
they’ll fly! …Finally they are airborne,
but they need more string – you
keep letting it out and with each twist
of the ball of twine, there is a sadness
that goes with the joy, because the
kite becomes more distant and somehow
you know that it won’t be long
until that beautiful creature will snap
the life line that bound you together
and soar as it was meant to soar –
free and alone.
Erma Bombeck
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