This week marks another milestone in my house. It is my daughter's last week of high school (at least at the school). It's a short week, as it is, due to having Memorial Day off yesterday. Tonight is the band banquet, tomorrow is the youth church banquet, and Thursday & Friday are final exams. Next week will be her prom, followed by graduation on the weekend.
It seemed as though every adult she spoke to at church on Sunday said, "Are you anxious?" "Are you excited?" "Are you a little sad?' Her quick answer to every question could have been a simple 'Yes', but she was diplomatic and replied every time with, "There are things I'm definately going to miss, but I'm also excited about new things happening."
How do you let your graduate feel ALL the emotions that they're feeling and let them know they're all normal feelings? This week and next could very well be the last time she sees and talks to some of her classmates. People always write in the yearbook 'Have a great summer!' and 'We'll still see each other.' But speaking as an adult, that doesn't always happen. After next week, the students will move on and attend college or get a job or some will join the military. They will get absorbed into their new surroundings and hopefully soar into the chapter of their lives. They'll most likely reunite on Thanksgiving break and over Christmas. They'll email, they'll swap stories, and they'll share their hopes and dreams. A year from now they'll sit back and make an objective observation of which classmates were acquaintances, which were true friends, and which were soulmates. And that's all o.k. It's just part of life and part of the changes we all go through.
Did you have a friend or two from high school that has remained one of your best friends?
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