Graduation

Reading Finn's post brought back memories of my HS graduation. Mine was in a small MI town in May 1959. My graduation occurred in our school gymnasium/auditorium. The girls wore white caps and gowns and the boys wore blue. I liked the blue ones better and wished we all were wearing them. Under my gown, I wore a flowered dress I had made and that I would also wear later that summer when I eloped and married. With my M last name, I marched near the middle of my class across the gym floor and up onto the stage. There I broke away from my classmates to sit in the front row. I was the valedictorian and gave a speech. The theme I chose was stepping stones of life. Like an 18 year old knows about that. Well, I thought I did and maybe for that time in my life I did. "Tonight the past lies behind us; the future lies before us with a challenge. After we step from this island to the shore of life, we shall find many paths leading us in varied directions. Some of us will go on to further education and training, some of us will enter into the service of our country, and some of us will found homes to build future generations. But bodily we shall go forward ever and backward never. (This was our class motto.) We can never again step upon this island and back upon the shore of our high school days. But we shall often do so in our memories. Thus with gratitude in our heart, we leave you tonight and go to meet the challenge of the life before us." What stepping stones and stumbling blocks still remain before me? Will they be harder or easier to navigate?