Pomp and ................

Today is a very special day in the life of our family. My oldest will graduate from high school. She is the first, she is the trailblazer. I have written many posts about her over this past year beginning with the first day of her senior year. This will not be the last post about her, I am sure, but it will be the last one that I write as we close the door on this chapter of her life, and yes, I am already crying while writing this, did you have any doubt? Last night I attended her Baccalaureate Ceremony. I didn't cry as much as I thought I would, but I watched her walk out of the gym as the seniors recessed, and I thought, "She looks like a grown-up." There's a reason for that. She is. Sometimes I think that she's been a grown up since age 6, and there have been times in the last few weeks where she seemed like my baby at age 18, but one thing is for sure, after today, she ends this period of her life where decisions are made for her, and she starts the journey on making her own decisions. I have every confidence that she will make the right ones. This past week someone approached me at one of the many Graduation events, and congratulated me and brought to my attention how much more this must mean because she was raised by a single parent. I had never thought about that until she said it, but she was right. It is hard to be a single parent, but I have had so many people to help me along the way. Without those people's help, I don't know how our little family of three would have turned out, and I am not sure whether I would be attending a Graduation this evening. I stopped to think about so many kids who come from broken homes who give up or act out. They end up with a drinking problem or on drugs or worse. Mine didn't end up that way. In the words of Lorelei Gilmore, "I got the good kid!"
This is a huge accomplishment, and I am so proud. I wanted to celebrate in a big way! But celebrating in a big way requires resources, and those are a little slim, so all I have to give her today are my words, PRIDE, GRATITUDE and LOVE! Indulge me today, dear daughter, and cut me some slack if some tears are shed as I close this door.