Pages

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Endings, Beginnings and Angst

Today, I will watch as my baby, the youngest of the Thomas Girl Crew, walks across the stage at school to receive her promotion certificate from fifth grade. No longer an elementary school student....the last of her breed.

I have had an elementary student (of one type or another) in my little family for the last fifteen years. And always at the school I work at. This is the end of an era.

Today, I will cry a bit, not only at the fact that this is the end of elementary school for Cali, but for all of her ten and eleven year old peers. I love those kids. They represent the best part of what I do.

Today, I will wonder if my other girls are okay in Shanghai, as part of the San Francisco Cultural Arts Contingent at the World Expo...knowing that they are missing their little sister in the worst possible way....they three of them are very close. They will be sleeping while she is graduating...maybe they will be dreaming of her.

Today, I will wish deep in my heart that all ninety-nine fifth-graders will hold on to their dreams and dance around with them joyfully, like they danced around the waves at their beach party yesterday, and not just chuck them away like the tattered back-pack that smells like old cottage cheese that no one needs anymore because it is summer.

Today, I will cry with sadness. With joy. With a little worry.

And with hope.

hrh

6 comments:

Stina said...

My oldest graduates elementary school (grade 4) next week. Like for you, there will definitely be tears shed.

Kelly Polark said...

It's tough watching your babies grow up. My oldest son starts sixth grade in the fall and my youngest will start kindergarten. There will be tears (and not from them. They are excited as they should be.)

Hayley Lovell said...

Oh my baby sisters graduated from middle school last night and I burst into tears. This was such a sweet post, thanks for sharing.

Jessie Oliveros said...

My baby graduated to toilet-usage, and I didn't cry. Does that count? Well, mine are still little, but the last four years have flown. Where does time go? Old cottage cheese, huh?

storyqueen said...

Stina-Good luck. I was a blubbery mess! And I had to hand out the certificates. So, I had to try to hold it together on stage. (Which I did not do very well.)

Kelly-Oooooh, maybe starting kindergarten is the hardest. It was my second daughter's first day of kindergarten that started the "maybe another baby" conversation....

Hayley-These little rites of passage are just do darn touching!

Jessie-No, no crying for potty training. Just happy dancing!!

Nishant said...

there will definitely be tears shed.
Contextual Ad Network India