While you may not be in school anymore, you can 'graduate' through different phases of your life.
In addition to writing, I work as an academic adviser for a university.
Recently, we held our annual commencement ceremony. I never knew that a day of work would have such a profound effect on my life, but it did. As I stared across the stadium and saw the thousands of people gathered to take part in the ceremony or offer support, I had a moment of clarity.
I had been in conflict with someone I was involved with. The strained communication at the time made it unmistakable that the relationship was on its last leg. Despite my fondness of him, since we weren’t on the same page, it was time to move on, though every fiber of my being didn’t want to. The thought of starting over without someone I had come to care so much for was not ideal for me, though he seemed indifferent to whether I stayed or left. Being in a room filled with singles and couples from various walks of life reminded me of how large the world is. I then realized that no one man should have that much power. (Yes, Kanye West is playing in my head as I type this.) The world is huge, and lucky for me, all I need is one man.
Being at the ceremony was symbolic for me because I could relate to the graduates. Instead of looking at the end of a relationship as a bad thing, I was able to look at it as a graduation. Those that have successfully completed high school, college or any other program can attest that graduation is an exciting time. It is also a nerve-wracking one. On one hand you are excited about the accomplishment and the new found freedom that awaits you. On the other hand many people are afraid of the unknown, so it is normal to want to stay within the confines of the high school or college walls instead of charging head on into the tough world of working, bills and various responsibilities.
As anticipated, the relationship ended. I vowed to myself that I would move on gracefully. The last thing that the world needs is another bitter person. I am happy to have the experience and the lessons learned from that situation will have me better prepared for the man I am intended for.
As much as we all miss our high school/college days which are filled with memories, we can all admit that as sad as it was to close a chapter of our lives, graduation was just the beginning of a new and better one. Just as no one aims to be a career-student, it is just as unrewarding to stay in a situation that is simply not meant to be. Even when it hurts, we should all graduate with dignity and honor. Congratulations to all of the recent graduates of the school of life!
Signed,
Tamieka Briscoe
Graduating class of 2011, School of Life, Magna Cum Laude
