Okay, today let's talk about something FUN for a change. I made a post a little while back about my daughter going to college. Well yesterday, she actually graduated from high school. I really can't believe this day has come. For the past few weeks, I've been going over random memories of swing sets, jungle gyms in the park, trips to Falmouth, Christmases, birthdays, soccer games, dance recitals, and on and on. I don't know what triggered these random thoughts, maybe it's the fact that she's not really my little girl anymore. I mean, she'll always be my girl, but she's grown up now, and there's no more cuddling on the couch watching Disney movies, tickle fights, trick-or-treating, or making cookies in the Easybake oven. That's all over for good. It has been for a while, in fact, but her graduation brings that hard truth back like a ton of bricks.
This isn't a downer, though. I mean, of course I miss those days, and I can get a little melancholy about it, but I love watching her move through life now too. I swear, I've never seen a kid so ready to just get on with the next phase of her life. That she has so much self confidence at her age just blows me away, because I was never like that. I'm still not, really. She's so independent and self-sufficient, and has been for some time now. I know this will serve her well as she goes through college. As any of us who've been know, college comes with a whole new set of temptations and challenges, and keeping a truly independent mind is a great tool to have when you're in that kind of atmosphere. High school does have many of the same temptations, but most of us don't live at high school, away from our parents.
Yesterday was an absolutely gorgeous day for an outdoor ceremony, and watching her walk across that stage and accept her diploma is and will continue to be one of the highlights of my life. If I could give her any advice (and I will), I would say this: Keep your independent spirit. Peer pressure in college is no different than peer pressure in high school. I'd never be a hypocrite, but I would say that, whatever decisions you make, always be aware of where you are, and more importantly, who you're with. True friends will always have your best interests at heart and will be there for you if things go sideways (I'm living proof of that). But above all, make decisions based on what YOU want.
I really can't wait to see what she's going to do next. I think I might be just as (if not more) excited about her future than she is.
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