Fri, 26 May 2006

They did it!

I write this while sitting on the balcony of our stateroom on Royal Caribbean's Jewel of the Sea, having just left port at Harwich, England. But I don't want to talk about that.

Let me talk about my children instead.

Kristen graduated from college two weeks ago. We flew to Memphis to witness this important event (Bernice, Allison, Mom and I) and the gods were cooperative as hell. The commencement ceremony was held outdoors, among the oaks in Fisher Garden on the Rhodes College campus. A gorgeous morning, bright and clear.

We had a good vantage high in a bleacher near the dais, and we watched the students walk the walk. Kristen was among the first to go,and when she returned to her seat, friends, I cried all over again. I had broken down four years ago at her high school graduation, and thought I'd gotten it out of my system... but noooooo. I saw this, this woman seated out there with her mortar board and cords and diploma and realized she was well and truly on her own: independent and with a life full of promise. I could not have been prouder.

And then it was Allison's turn to graduate from high school, just a week later. I wondered beforehand if I'd be able to hold it together when she walked. (I was actually afraid that I'd be cool, having spent my emotional reserve on Kristen.) It turned out that there was plenty of pent-up emotive force, 'cause I shook like a leaf after Allison collected up her paper and I had a chance to put the camera down. I remember leaning against the wall, tears in my eyes, sobbing, my head cradled in my hand. I looked up and saw that Melynda had trained her camera on me, and I waved her off. "Are you okay?" she asked gently. "Yes, I'm having a private moment" I replied, adding: "Delete that."

Allison makes me proud too. Like her big sis, she is bright, socially conscious, compassionate, talented, all the things I admire. She is also going to Rhodes in the fall, meaning that both my daughters will be Memphians. There'll be some big changes around the Andrews household, that's fer sure.

In the meantime, we're cruising, taking what may be our last family vacation. I'll tell you about that later.

posted at: 17:00 | path: /ontheroad | permanent link to this entry