Spring

On Friday, one of my choir students told me how nervous and excited she was--that night, UC Santa Cruz would be posting their list of accepted incoming freshmen, and that was her first-pick school. I wished her luck, thought about her a couple of times on the weekend, and on Monday, was greeted with a huge smile. She's in.

Today, another senior asked, "Remember that scholarship you wrote a recommendation for?"

"Yes, of course," I replied. "And...?"

"I got it. It's four thousand a semester."

Of course, I'm hugely delighted for my kids--this is such an amazing, exciting time for them, facing graduation and college, all of the changes and growth that come with moving on from adolescence and into adulthood. It's interesting to see it juxtaposed with spring--as winter shakes off its gloom and everything comes to life again, a new crop of graduates marches towards The Big Day. I'm proud of them, happy for them. And I know, as I continue my at the Large Suburban High School, each graduating class will mean a little bit more, as I have a chance to get to know them over their high school careers.

It's exciting to watch them embark on these new journeys, knowing that their paths in life will take them in so many directions they never anticipated. Some directions won't be so easy, but I am confident these kids will weather the storms and come out stronger for it--just as I have in my own life.

That said, there's still 10 weeks left of school, with Senior Ball, choir tour, and all of the spring activities that inevitably occur at your typical high school. Senioritis has set in, the sun seems to be here to stay for the next six months, and all kinds of craziness awaits. Bring it on.