(Day 13) On accomplishments, celebrations, choices and disappointments...

One only graduates from High School once so it is important that it be a memorable event.  Anna went to some length to plan a day for Justin, inviting family from Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia to come for the graduation ceremony and join us for a BBQ after the reception at the school.  To make a long story shorter... Anna's mom ended up in hospital and was not able to come.  Lloyd's parents and brother and family could not stay past three o'clock as they had commitments on the Island... and unbeknownst to us, Justin and his friends had planned a beach party down in Murray Corner and he had to leave around 5PM.  That's the disappointing part...  Anna, Zack and I ate steak and baked potatoes and lemon pie and toasted Justin who I am sure was lifting a toast with his classmates!

Zack toasting Justin
Disappointments out of the way, it was a fine day.  The program while long was very engaging and I do believe that the guest speaker may have raised the anxiety levels of some parents as he encouraged the youth to follow their passion - to do what makes them happy - and that may not involve going to University or College...  The valedictorian spoke on behalf of the class lifting up their accomplishments and speaking of the value of community.

To say Anna and I are proud of our son would be an understatement.  Justin graduated with Honors and won the Tantramar Regional High prize for Journalism for his work with the yearbook.  In addition, to his surprise and ours, he was awarded the Bud White Memorial Entrance Bursary ($1,000.00).  Congratulations Justin!  Well done!

Choices.  We make a choice and it will please some and disappoint others.  A wise person once said, "You can't please everyone... so work on pleasing yourself."  Looking at all of those young people on the stage today I could not help but wonder what the future will hold for them.  So much talent.  So much potential.  So many choices.  To go to college or university? Or not?  To live at home?  Or not?  To stay in the relationship?  Or not?  Where to work this summer?  To travel?  What career path?  And so on and so on...

Anna, Zack, Justin and Lloyd
Sandy (Jake and Dusty missing from photo)
And I am remind of other challenging words, "To thine own self be true..."  But just how do you discover the self to which you are to be true?

The question is rhetorical.

How?  By living.  By making choices.  By putting one foot in front of the other and putting yourself out there to see what feels right, what works, what makes you want to get out of bed in the morning... and then do it.

Congratulations Justin.  Now comes the living.  Now comes making choices for which you alone are repsonsible.  Life in all its fullness!!
Location: Sackville, NB, Canada

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