This is a weekend of graduations. On Friday, my grandson said goodbye to Kindergarten with a ceremony, a diploma, and a class picnic. His biggest hurrah is the end of afternoon naps. For me, it’s a reason to celebrate another milestone in his life. I noted some of his accomplishments: reading the entire Children’s Bible, mastery of the sign language alphabet, and an art portfolio that sings of his creative spirit.
Many of our friends were cheering their own graduates as well. The house parties and Facebook posts for elementary, high school, and college graduates lit up anticipation of the next great firsts as they bade farewell to the former. It’s easy to think the crisp edges of celebratory memories will resist fading. It’s natural to expect the coming years will brew up more reasons to celebrate. It’s common to forget this life doesn’t promise any nexts.
This is also the weekend we celebrate Memorial Day. It is a solemn reminder of those who sacrificed their remaining firsts so people like me can revel in the toothy grins of our favorite graduates. I share my appreciation for their sacrifices with my grandson, who has been known to freely erupt in a slightly off-key rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner” at any given moment. I view it as part of his training as an American citizen to appreciate the blessings God has bestowed upon him. Give it a big hurrah!
Read this and other blog posts at: SpiritualLegacyMemoir.com.
BarbHowe.org 