Savor the Moment

My nephew graduated from college this past weekend. Don’t these faculty look excited about being at yet another commencement ceremony? I can’t imagine how many they have been to in their lifetime. This day was just another one in their journey as faculty. But for the senior class, this was a milestone, a major life accomplishment. It was the moment they moved from in process to done. Their undergrad days are now behind them, along with exams, papers, and all night cram sessions. Their accomplishment is complete, and no one can ever take away from them their college degree. 

This picture was taken on my phone, we actually ‘watched’ the ceremony online as we drove into town. It was pretty cool to be able to be there without being there. Technology worked great and we heard it all, then joined everyone for lunch. Times surely have changed when if oyu can’t make it to the ceremony you can watch the good, bad, and boring speeches from the clear screen on your mobile device. This was a first for us.

And this special event reminds me that graduates across the globe are facing their first days without school. For many, they are already employed. For others, they begin the long, lonely days of job hunting. And for others still, they will move back into their childhood bedroom ‘working’ on getting a job. Whichever situation applies, they graduated and can move forward with hope and hard work. 

What was the last milestone you completed? When was the last time you celebrated your own accomplishments and faced the future with a renewed sense of hope? Savor the moment and keep moving on. Life is only just beginning for these grads…and we wish them many years of success, failure, wealth, and poverty. Life isn’t life if the journey is only smooth. Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors.