We're All Alright...

This past Saturday, my sister and I accompanied mom to graduation. Five students on her case load and two that she has taught in the past, seven in total graduated. About 440 some odd students graduated from Pickerington High School North, with $11.8M in scholarships.

Honestly, Pickerington's graduation is one of my favorites if not my favorite commencement ceremonies. They hold it in World Harvest Church, I have been to quite a few ceremonies in mom's 13 years in the district. Especially around the time of my high school experience. I attended Pickerington's '08 commencement, Pickerington and Lancaster's '09 ceremony, PHSN and LHS's '10 ceremony, and again in '11. Even with all of those, Pickerington's '15 commencement ceremony is my favorite.

Each commencement ceremony is entirely it's own and unique. The speeches are incredible. Each year the senior choir sings For Good. They're always good, but this year they were incredible.

(Elphaba)

I'm limited

Just look at me

I'm limited

And just look at you you can do all I couldn't do

Glinda

So now it's up to you

For both of us

Now it's up to you

(Glinda)

I've heard it said

That people come into our lives for a reason

Bringing something we must learn

And we are led

To those who help us most, to grow

If we let them

And we help them in return

Well, I don't know if I believe that's true

But I know I'm who I am today

Because I knew you...

Like a comet pulled from orbit

As it passes the sun

Like a stream that meets a boulder

Halfway through the wood

Who can say if I've been changed for the better?

But because I knew you

I have been changed for good

(Elphaba)

It well may be

That we will never meet again

In this lifetime

So let me say before we part

So much of me

Is made of what I learned from you

You'll be with me

Like a handprint on my heart

And now whatever way our stories end

I know you have re-written mine

By being my friend...

Like a ship blown from its mooring

By a wind off the sea

Like a seed dropped by a skybird

In a distant wood

Who can say if I've been changed for the better?

But because I knew you

(Glinda)

Because I knew you

(Both):

I have been changed for good

(Elphaba)

And just to clear the air

I ask forgiveness

For the things I've done, you blame me for

(Glinda)

But then, I guess we know

There's blame to share

(Both)

And none of it seems to matter anymore

(Elphaba)

Like a comet pulled from orbit

As it passes the sun

Like a stream that meets a boulder

Halfway through the wood

(Glinda)

Like a ship blown from its mooring

By a wind off the sea

Like a seed dropped by a bird

In the wood (Harmony over Glinda)

(Both)

Who can say if I've been

Changed for the better?

I do believe I have been

Changed for the better

(Glinda)

And because I knew you...

(Elphaba)

Because I knew you...

(Both)

Because I knew you...

I have been changed for good...

This is the first time I've gone to commencement and not sat with mom. This year she distributed three diplomas. Jade and I surprised her by deciding to go with her to the ceremony and sit in the audience without her. I'm not sure what was in it for Jade but I was needing a renewed dose of hope and inspiration. And where else is better than a room full of bright-eyed and bushy-tailed teens who still have the drive and hope that they will change and save the world. 

"What you do matters, but why you do it matters much more."

I needed that after this less than inspiring week. But here's to a better week! A renewed drive to the job hunt. Jade's last day of school. Mom's last week of school. A visit from a sorority sister (my Ride or Die) and Jade's high school graduation.

"Every part of you is made of love and care and beauty, and no matter how you feel today that will be true. Just because you've been temporarily blinded by insecurity; just because you've been hurt, or you've made mistakes; just because it seems like things will never get better, they will, and you will. And things will be okay. Things will be okay."

It's okay to have a bad day, week, month, year-- but it's important to keep it in perspective... We're all alright. "And things will be okay. Things will be okay."

 xxoo

KJB