I ordered the whole Grad Pack – personalized invitations, portraits, diploma frame, cap and gown, thank you notes with return address labels – one click and it was done. So easy and overall cheaper than just buying the invitations and cap and gown. Go figure.
(Oh, I know full well there's nothing cheap about college. I said cheaper, not cheap.)
Tassles and stoles for the College of Liberal Arts are white, did you know that?
I like that.
"…white is not a color, but the manifestation of the presence of all color – the complete energy of light. It stands for wholeness and completion. In many cultures it represents openness and truth. White has a cold quality. It can provide clarity as its energy is complete.
White has purification vibrations and can be used to clear blocks from your path.
It holds the potential to move toward every other color and this makes it a good choice for new beginnings, and development in any direction." (from http://crystal-cure.com)
White. Yeah, it fits. I like it.
Guess what color the School of Business graduates get to wear! Drab!
I'm serious! Did you know 'drab' was an actual color? I sure didn't.
I didn't bother looking up what it symbolized.
I'm glad he isn't a business major.
(Only because of the color … His older brother is a business/marketing graduate … But I'm sure his stole wasn't 'drab'. Ugh.)
He picked up his robe and invitations from the Co-op last week. I'll get them from him this weekend and start addressing envelopes. I'll have to stuff my Procrastination in a box, lock it up, and shove it deep into a downstairs closet.
This is too important to put off.
He sat for his graduation portrait at 2pm this afternoon. Doesn't seem right to take it two months early, but they say it's easier this way, hectic as graduation day can be.
I told him to imagine he had just been handed his diploma and to make sure his face reflected that feeling.
I wonder if he remembered?
More likely he was thinking of the test he had just taken, or of one (or more) tests coming up, or of his resume, or of the job applications waiting to be filled out or sent in…
I was conjuring an image of him, looking so scholarly in his robe with the pure white stole. Then the image faded into scenes of another graduation, just four years ago, on a much smaller stage in a high school gym.
Just four years ago.
Just four years ago he was coasting to the end of high school life; academics were pretty much over, he had his acceptance letter from the University of Texas and all that was left was organizing an Eagle Scout Court of Honor.
This time, there's no coasting … no 'for-sure's … no time yet to sit back and rest on achievements.
But there are achievements to celebrate.
He made it through a mine-field of distractions, obstacles, the Roommate from Hell, bad teachers and advisors … cracked the codes of online registration and financial aid, drop-add, cheap books, changing majors, off-campus housing, bus routes, graduation requirements, campus employment…
It makes my head spin when I think of it all.
He was frustrated at times, stressed out, confused, discouraged, depressed, tired, pushed to the brink of giving up…
But he didn't. He took a deep breath and fought his way through to the end.
He finished the job.
And now here he is at the end of a journey he started four years ago…
I have no doubt he's ready for this next one that's about to begin.
(Have I mentioned how proud I am?)
Long Hollow 
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