The Sun Rises on a Beautiful Commencement Day
20 May 2011
Proverbs 23:25 NIV
"May your father and mother be glad; may she who gave you birth rejoice!"
I marched behind my colleagues last night to the driving rhythm of Pomp and Circumstance at our high school graduation. The faculty always strikes an imposing picture in their black gowns and regalia.
We entered the football field in front of the Class of 2011 who waited nervously for us to pass by. Girls clutched the class flower, a long-stemmed lily, and made last minute touch ups to their hair, while boys adjusted mortarboards until their cue to enter the field to celebratory cheers from their families.
This year our school introduced a new procedure for seating the faculty and graduates at the graduation ceremony. Rather than separating us from the students as had been the policy in the past, we were included in the seating chart interspersed among graduates: two rows of graduates; a row of faculty.
At first, my traditional brain was opposed to this idea, but as the night progressed, I enjoyed being among the students.
The nervous energy of these young people was electric and contagious. They cheered their friends. They encouraged each other. I looked around and was proud to see students whom I had taught or tutored.
One of the "tough" kids who had been a handful in class was now doubled over behind me as the Junior Marshall approached his row to indicate it would be time for them to walk to the stage to receive their diplomas.
I asked a girl behind me if he were okay. She leaned over and asked if he were going to throw up. He laughed and looked at us like a chagrined child caught stealing a cookie from the cookie jar.
"I feel like I'm going to pee my pants!" He smiled, focused on the ground, and hoped his nerves would calm down. I never would have seen this side to him if we had been separated from the graduates.
I looked behind me on the other side of the row and spotted a girl who had passed the Georgia Writing and Language Arts tests after going through a two-weeks' tutoring session with me.
She had taken and failed the graduation tests four times before I was assigned to work with her. She was down to her last chance to pass before graduation.
I was determined to help her. Unfortunately, the last week before the tests, her grandfather became seriously ill, and she had to go out of town to be with him. As a result, she missed a few sessions with me. I didn't know if what I had taught her would be enough or not.
However, when we received her test results, she had passed. Now I was proudly sitting near her and able to shake her hand when she returned to her seat with her diploma.
A special education student sat in front of us. He didn't understand exactly what he had accomplished by receiving his diploma, but he knew it was important. He leapt, weightless, high in the air all the way back to his seat, but he missed his row and tried to climb in with us.
We helped him return to his proper seat. Then he opened his diploma and held it up for the world to see. A guttural roar rose forth from his soul. His body shook like an agitated washer for nearly the rest of the ceremony, while occassional roars sounded forth. I lost count how many times he hugged the diploma and held it up.
I also lost track of how many tears welled up in my eyes as I watched him.
The camaraderie I felt sitting among the graduates surprised me. Of course, we were placed there to encourage them to be on their best behavior. What ended up happening was they asked us questions about the ceremony. To them, we were still their teachers and advisers. They didn't resent us for sitting among them and seemed to appreciate our being there.
When the final student's name was called, they stood and cheered. I also felt a sense of exhilaration I hadn't felt in years at a graduation. As their caps flew high in the air, I wished I also had one to throw.
Graduation was a proud moment for all the graduates and their families, and for the first time in many years, I actually enjoyed graduation duty.
I also learned I needed to give a new idea a chance before I shot it down.
Once more, God worked on my attitude and showed me I don't know everything. He is patiently working on me.
I hope one day, if I study hard, I will finally reach His goal for me and graduate from this lesson I need to learn in life.
I wonder if God throws graduation caps in Heaven?
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Thank you Lord for teaching me about my attitude once more.
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