Another Graduation: Our daughter graduated from her boarding school secondary program in 2009. Two years later, one year shorter than many of her fellow graduates in ’09, she is about to graduate from the post secondary program. I thought we would low key this one. Her secondary program graduation brought in cousins, aunts, uncles and friends from the south, the north and everywhere in between. It was several days of family festivities culminating in graduation ceremonies under a giant tent followed by our hosting a luncheon party in a restaurant by the ocean.
What A Family: I told our daughter earlier this school year that I thought a party at home would be a great idea. But as she entered the second semester I began to feel guilty so I asked her whom she wanted to attend her graduation. She provided her list of names: once again the cousins, the aunts, the uncles and 3 friends from home.
Amazing Grace: What really taps deep into a mother’s soul is the response. Family is coming. Not the three friends who are no longer easy to access. But the cousins, the aunts from near and far, the uncles. It takes a great deal of dedication, love and pride to extend oneself the way our family has, on both sides of the aisle, maternal and paternal.
In Awe of The Courage and Determination: All come with love and respect for our daughter’s courage and achievements. And what is even more awesome, for all the students standing before them at graduation. Two years ago this same extended family sat through probably close to three hours of graduation ceremonies where total strangers, each graduate from both the H.S. and the post H.S. programs, were introduced and spoken to individually by the Head of School. Each student responded, talking about their accomplishments and goals. No one moved, no one left.
A Life Long Impression: Watching students who had fought challenges speak with confidence about their future in front of an audience of hundreds of people left a life long impression on our family, including the youngsters.
So we will do it again. Bring it on. Really is there any group more deserving of celebration?
©Jill Edelman, M.S.W., L.C.S.W. 2011
all graduations are important & all graduates deserve praise for their accomplishments…. but these graduates, one of which is my christina, are a special group of kids who, with the help of an incredible school, have been able to accomplish things their local schools said they could not! i am extremely proud of my girls & eternally grateful to the staff of this incredible school for helping my christina & all the graduates become the amazing adults they have become!
see you at graduation! 🙂
Dear Emily, I echo your sentiments, “an incredible school”. I look forward to sharing this graduation with you. Our hearts will always be with this wonderful institution which has given our girls and their families “the world”.