JOURNAL: June 11, 2006

Yesterday my little school held its modest graduation exercises on a morning that was both rainy and beautiful. While the storm swept across our campus, some two hundred of us gathered in our gymnasium to say farewell to our nineteen graduates. Outside it was dark and wet, but inside all was dry, comfortable, and bright with smiles and promise. The graduates -- boys in shiny dress shoes and girls in white dresses -- seemed to provide enough light to easily offset the effects of the storm. It was a long ceremony, but, knowing that I might not see some of these students ever again, I enjoyed every minute of it. Each part of the ritual had its special purpose, and each part seemed to unfold precisely as it should. I especially loved the artistic touches -- the songs, the poetry, and the speeches by the students. I very much admired the "graduation poem", something we added this year and which may become a tradition. It was read in a dignified and poignant manner by the poet, one of the graduates. (See picture.) In addition, I'm sure I won't forget the performance by four of the graduates of a song they had written, called "Hazy Skies". (See picture.) It was a perfectly lovely song, sung from the heart by these happy/sad members of the class of 2006.