GRADUATION

"Well it's that time of year when the band plays familiar strains of Pomp and Circumstance, Chorus members sing the alma mater, color cladded students process in step, speakers make their way to the podium, diplomas are awarded and tassels turn.

It has happened for decades and yet each year when I prepare for our Senior Sunday,it is emotional and a time to reminisce. I usually tell the seniors that most of Graduation
is a blur! I mean I can't tell you who gave the Commencement address at Pfeiffer University. And the only reason I recall my high school speaker is because it was ME!

I graduated in 1976 which was the bi-centennial year so everything we received that year had an American flag on it! And the senior class decided it would be a great year to break
tradition, never my favorite thing to do. So instead of distinguished Shelby High School graduates in black robes w/ gold stoles, the females wore bright 'Yeller' rain slickers, technically our robes. I think that is the very moment I decided I did not like other people deciding what I
would wear.

So back to that speech I gave... it was on Faith. Faith in God,Faith in country and faith in my fellow man. Ironic, don't you think? Or maybe it was just the beginning of many 'aha moments!'

Congratulations Class of 2010, I look forward to hearing your personal reflections on Graduation. If you wait 34 years to write about it (like I did), you will need to send it to me in Large Print!