Graduation

byShannaBude

129 followers

3 years ago

I have graduated four times in my life: High School; College; Master's degree; 2nd Master's degree.

Graduation itself was always the goal. I would try to care about what happened afterward. I just didn't. As a hopeless academic, I loved school. Graduation felt like death.

But the ceremonies themselves were always great - because they involved other people. Classmates, celebrating the end of the long journey with you. Parents. Family. At my high school graduation, in the tiny school's tiny gym, my loud, large, wonderful family screamed from the bleachers when they called my name. It's a moment I'll never forget.

Today was riveting. Because today also felt like a graduation. And today was also shared with other people.

Today, for the first time, I gathered what I'm calling my Launch Team. I don't often ask for help. I'm coming to accept just how much I need it. And when I asked, they came. My mother, two aunts, a cousin, and a dear friend. In my living room, discussing my business plans.

To prepare for the day, I made a PowerPoint. I condensed 7 years of study into internet marketing into that PowerPoint. It was concise. It was understandable. I haven't done a formal presentation in years and it felt amazing. And it felt like a final school project, a thesis paper...

A graduation.

And this graduation - my first informal, not affiliated with any institution of higher learning graduation - is also the first graduation where I leave with a clear vision of what lies ahead. It's the first time I've graduated starting a job.

Sure, a job that doesn't pay me anything... yet... but... milestones.

And now it's snowing, too. Like a blessing from the sky itself. A perfect ending to graduation day.

I guess the point here, if there is a point, is that achievement is meant to be shared. And every milestone is worth celebrating. Doing so might just lead to a perfect day.