Hawaiian Graduate

“All that stands between the graduate and the top of the ladder is the ladder.” 

Author Unknown

When you put the ladder of elementary education against the wall and look at the seven rungs reaching skyward it creates a lump in your throat.  To make your 5 year old start climbing pulls tears from your heart.  Luckily the 60 or so other parents dropping kindergartners off for the their first day of school help with the process of letting go of that tiny trusting hand.  By the 2nd or 3rd annual climb up to the next rung things have dropped into a comforting cycle of Halloween, Christmas and Valentine celebrations.  I would suspect a Hallmark collusion if it wasn't for the inter-dispersal of Jog-athon, Spring Sings and Carnival in the school calendar.  After several years, just as you lock into the familiar yearly cycle, the heady heights of the 5th and 6th rungs arrive with rites of passage such as Washington trips and Wolf Camp.  And then suddenly its over, and that tiny hand has grown and is reaching out for a graduation diploma.  

"You have brains in your head.You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.

You're on your own.

And you know what you know.

You are the guy who'll decide where to go."

Dr. Seuss

There was so much emotion in the last few days of Montecito with ceremonies, graduation and luau parties.  What I need to do was finish packing so we could wheel the suitcases into a taxi and head off to the land of lai's and grass skirts.  Looks like Jazz is streets ahead of us all as usual.