It's graduation time. A time for new beginnings. A new chapter of living.
Time for students to step into the real world.
I remember my high school graduation - many moons-ago. I was so thrilled to be leaving home to go away to college. It was what I had been dreaming about for the 4 years I was in high school. Though, I'd miss my best friend, Janet, I was still very excited to be going to New York. :-) So, I took a flight to NYC to my dad. He drove me to Syracuse University. I was green. I had no idea Syracuse was so far from NYC. :-) I didn't have the chance to visit beforehand. Ok, that was fine. I was still anxious to get to my dorm room. Yeah! Syracuse had already linked my roommate-to-be and I up via letters and phone calls. So, I already knew a little about her. I remember the day we arrived on campus. So many people waiting in lines with boxes, tvs, luggage. It's so funny, I remember thinking dang, these kids have a lot of stuff. I only brought a few boxes, a suitcase, and a JVC boom box (sort of). Not even a television. lol. Or computer. Just didn't own those things, yet.Thank God, my roomie, Corinna had a computer. She let me use it so I never had to go to the computer lab. I was very happy about that, because, at that time, I was still very shy. I really didn't like being in big crowds.
Anyhoo, what I think is so grand about going away to college is that it's a huge eye-opener. You gain independence. You learn about yourself by learning about others. You dive into a world of different people, cultures, economic backgrounds, everything. I met people from all over the country and the world. Some of my closest friends freshman year were from Michigan, North Carolina, Oakland, Philly, and even India. I was so naive to so much. It was such a worthwhile experience! I remember being introduced to rap music by my friend from Oakland. ha. I remember the first (dance) party at the Underground at SU. The song that stands out in my mind from freshman year was You Remind Me by Mary J. Blige. To this day, whenever I hear that song I'm taken back to that eye-opening year.
Wow memories.
Fast forward four years to college graduation. I was so blessed to have so much of my family travel to see me walk across that stage. It was especially wonderful for me to have my mom and dad there. (they were divorced since I was 4 and I lived with mom in Georgia and visited my dad in NY during the summers). I remember hugging my mom goodbye at the airport the day after graduation. She was headed back to Georgia. I was staying in Syracuse one more day and then heading to NYC to begin my next chapter of living. I didn't mean to, but I began to cry. I guess something within me knew my life would never be quite the same. Maybe I was a little anxious, afraid, overwhelmed, excited. I was an adult about to be on my own and really make all the decisions that would sculpt my world. ;-)
It's been a journey for sure. Everyday is a journey. I am so grateful for that experience. I am learning to be grateful, now, for every experience of my life. The good. The tough. The beautiful. It's all a part of the journey. Life is terrifically unpredictable and oh so delicious. Once I made up my mind to embrace joy and learn the lesson in all that I can, life got sweeter.
Here's to life! New beginnings. And the courage to live and take chances.
I want to share one of my favorite commencement speeches. Oprah at Standord in 2008. It's about 29 minutes.(pause the music on here if you choose to listen). :-) Enjoy!
Sending courage your way. Tag you're it!
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