Pomp and Circumstance

Larry's thoughts:::


This time of year is a busy one for me. I'm constantly running around the city and the county advising and registering high school seniors for college. I'm drained at the end of each day but, throughout my fatigue, I can't help but know that I'm making a difference in the lives of students who might not otherwise consider an education past high school. Each time I answer their questions or wish them a good day, I think of the beginning of the journey they're on. That is what I decided to write about- graduation. Bridge's mother is getting ready to graduate herself. I understand that the journey she has had has been a challenging one to say the least that has included balancing work, family, and school. She has done an admirable job and I'm very happy that her graduation is near. I wish that I could duplicate her success with each of the young adults I advise. Too often, they tend to take their education for granted. The team that I'm a part of at the Alamo Colleges travels to each high school in San Antonio at this time of year and the students we meet are wide and varied. I've met with the "wide-eyed, innocent" students who want to excel and I've also met the careless, "know it all" students who think they have all the answers to everything in life. The thing they fail to recognize (that Bridge's mom obviously understands) is that their graduation is just the beginning of knowledge and not the end. I wish I could guarantee success and happiness to these young people but I cannot. They must continue on and persevere in spite of the odds. All I can do is answer their questions, share my knowledge and experience, and then hope they succeed in their endeavours. Wisdom does not always come in textbooks or classrooms but often in working through challenges and learning from them. The intangible lessons that lead to graduation are what makes the journey worthwhile. So to those who will end one chapter of their life as they graduate and prepare for another, I wish you nothing but continued success and please remember that the learning process does not end with receival of a piece of paper but is only beginning of your next journey in life.