AND SO THE ADVENTURE BEGINS…

SHE TAKES HER PLACE IN LINE, TRYING TO CALM THE BUTTERFLIES IN HER STOMACH BY SMOOTHING OUT HER WHITE ROBE….. THE EXCITEMENT OF THE MOMENT GETS HIS HEART RACING AND HE TAKES A MOMENT TO ADJUST HIS GOLD TASSEL. “POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE” BEGINS AND THEY BOTH REALIZED THEY HAD BEEN HOLDING THEIR BREATHS…

HER MOTHER CLUTCHES THE TISSUES AS HER HEART SWELLS WITH PRIDE. ALL OF THE EARLY-MORNING WAKE UPS, THE ENCOURAGEMENT TO WORK HARDER AS HER DAUGHTER PUSHED BACK WITH RESISTANCE. THE THOUSANDS OF MORNINGS PACKING HER LUNCH BOX. THAT FIRST DAY WHERE SHE LOOKED TEARFULLY BACK AT HER MOM AS SHE GOT ON THE SCHOOL BUS FOR THE FIRST TIME… AND THERE SHE STANDS, AN AMAZING YOUNG WOMAN WITH HER FUTURE AN OPEN-BOOK.

HIS FATHER CAN HARDLY BELIEVE THAT HE IS IN THE AUDIENCE, IT SEEMS LIKE ONLY YESTERDAY THAT HE, HIMSELF WAS STANDING IN THE BLEACHERS ABOUT TO RECEIVE HIS DIPLOMA. NOW HE SITS, LOOKING AT HIS OWN GROWN SON. THE YOUNGER VERSION OF HIMSELF WITH HIS ENTIRE LIFE AHEAD OF HIM AND EVERY DOOR OF OPPORTUNITY OPEN TO HIM.

DURING THIS GRADUATION SEASON REMEMBER THAT GRADUATION ISN’T AN ENDING BY THE BEGINNING OF THE NEXT GREAT CHAPTER. EACH OPPORTUNITY A CHANCE TO CHANGE THE WORLD, AND EACH NEW DAY AN OPPORTUNITY TO NEVER STOP LEARNING. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2015.