Graduation

This week I graduated from college. Last week I graduated from Institute (a religious studies program). So what is graduation? There is all that talk about beginnings, and becomings, achievements and awards. It also often seems to correlate with moving (at least for me). I know a lot of people that didn't walk, and I understand why. The whole program is often long and a little boring and shaking hands with people you have never met before. Plus, you have to buy the gowns. But I still don't regret going, although I wish more of my peers that I was close to had come, as well as my professors. Because the way I see graduation is not so much "Hah! I did it!" but more of mutual gratitude. After all it is only a piece of paper. If you did the work do need to have the actual paper and  attention too? Graduation is a conclusion, yes, it is a way to say "Hey look I can follow through and finish something." But more than that, I was saying "I care enough about this education, and the things I learned, and the experience, and the people that helped me on the way that I am willing to sit through a little pomp, so thank  you." I think that is why I was so sad that my teachers weren't there. At Institute graduation I talked to one of the leaders about how the ceremony and such was not for me, it was to say thank you to them. He responded that that was only partially true that graduations were also a way for the leaders, teachers, and parents to say "thanks for doing the work."

So thank you. To my parents, and siblings, and friends, and teachers. And especially those who came to support me.