Think about how much work and time went into your high school experience. Four FULL years. Classes, projects, papers, quizzes, tests, sports activities, field trips. All of it.
Remember how much was involved. How much time and emotion. And the bond that you made with your friends who are shared the journey with you.
Graduation day draws near. People send you cards. You think about what life will be like when your done. You are fitted for your cap and gown. You listen to the teachers and principles explain how the ceremony is supposed to go.
The big day arrives. You are up early. Ready for all the excitement.
You sit through the whole ceremony, with your friends. Waiting for your turn on stage.
You see student after student walk up and across. They shake hands, pose for a picture.
Now its your turn. They call your name. You started to walk across the stage....
but wait... there is something wrong... terribly wrong. All the faculty started muttering to themselves, shaking their heads. "I'm sorry" they say "You have to turn back... do it all over again."
"What? This can't be right! I worked just has hard and as long as everyone here. How come they get their diploma and I have to start over?"
"I'm sorry." they say again "Try to stay calm... "
The room spins, everyone is watching and waiting. You see all your friends on the other side of the stage. You can't join them. You feel different and separated. You have to go back to the beginning. They get to move on with their lives. Embark on a whole new phase. You get left behind.
You ask yourself. What did I do wrong? How did I cause this? I should have seen it coming." You replay the experience over and over again in your head, trying to make sense out of it all.
"I should graduate! I did what everyone else did and they graduated!" you yell "It's not fair!" "Why me?"
But no one answers... because there are no answers to give. You are the outsider now... the bond is gone.... you can't understand why you don' t have what your friends have.
A deep chasm now resides between you and the rest of the world.
5 comments:
I know I'll never be able to comprehend it, just as I know I love you.
For as long as I live, I will think of you and remember William as Owen's birthday draws near. You are both forever in my heart.
Thank you for writing that Julia. You made it more real. I'm so sorry what you went through and what other moms are going through. I can't imagine the pain, but what you wrote made it a little more clear to me.
I love you, and all 4 of your boys. You're not so far away.
T
Terrific analogy! This is such a sad realism, that imo, should be brodcasted to all mom's/ mom's 2B.
I have no words! It made me cry.
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