Find Your Wings
St. Mary's School has lots of traditions. If you are not familiar with them, don't worry. Someone, somewhere will say, "Well, that's a tradition" or "When my son/daughter was here, we did ..." When you are a new teacher, it is hard to know these often unwritten traditions if you haven't been privy to the way things work. Well, one of the better traditions in my opinion is the 8th grade video that the kids get to see as a class and often with their parents usually the night of graduation when they all get together to celebrate one last time.
A few months ago I volunteered to put the 8th grade video together for the class. While going through all of the pictures their parents sent me, I was overwhelmed with emotion not just for my baby girl, but these sweet, innocent, quirky, smart, challenging, inquisitive, athletic, spiritual, musical, faith-filled young people moving on from our St. Mary's family to high school. How did it go by so fast?
Some of these kids have been at SMS since kindergarten while others moved in during elementary school. Some have moved away and still others are home schooled. One thing is certain, these kids are blessed. They are blessed with strong families who chose a private, Catholic school for their son/daughter. Whether the reason was religious or a different reason. Parents made a conscious choice to send their kids to SMS. I believe they are leaving with unbreakable gifts to take with them that they have learned and lived and observed through their time at St. Mary's.
As many of you are, or have been, in the weird teen, not-a-little-kid-but-not-a-big-kid-yet, phase of parenting, you know our kids are attempting to spread their wings. And as hard as that may seem right now to let them do it, this is what they were made for. These kids are going to do great things. They will change the world. This moment is one of many where they will head out to find a new path. Don't be afraid, parents. They are not alone. Your children know the love of God and they know they were perfectly made. They know this. Believe it.
So to the parents of graduates this year, whatever grade it is, have faith in your children. Be proud. Celebrate the young person you brought into this world to do great things. Look through the pictures and wonder how did this go so fast, hug them if you can sneak one in. Continue to pray for them to lean on God, to ask for forgiveness as often as needed, and to never lose hope. God bless all of the graduates of 2023 and their families.