Graduation

Well it's official, both my kids graduated from high school on June 3.  I'm no longer a mother of school-age kids.  Some people have asked me how I feel about it, and that's really kind of like asking someone on their birthday how they feel about being a year older.  Today feels pretty much the same as yesterday, or last week, or last month.  The change has come gradually and it's not like their graduation was unexpected or anything.

I went to their school last week to pick up their diplomas.  Wouldn't you know they forgot to do it on the day they weren't working.  I guess it's the last time I'll respond to the request to drive to the school because they forgot their homework, lunch, diploma, etc.  I saw one of their teachers who said he'd miss seeing me around the school.  It actually didn't feel like my last time at the school.  It was a little startling to hear him say that.  Of course I've spent less time at the school as the kids have gotten older so I guess I never really thought about it.  The school and I didn't suddenly end our relationship, we've just gradually drifted apart.

The past 11 days since graduation haven't been that much different than the 11 days before that.  Graduation came and went, spring came, summer came, I've worked, I've played, I've laughed, I've cried.  There have been endings and beginnings, and there will be more.  Yesterday I read an article that expressed a lot of what I feel, not so much about graduation and my kids moving on, but about how life moves along and we change and grow through our experiences, never to be the same as we were the day before.  It's beautifully written and well worth the few minutes it takes to read. Warning:  grab a handful of tissues first.