Commencing

Photo by Good Free Photos on Unsplash

It’s that time of year again, and I’m feeling it. Graduation-ness. The ending of eras, the approach of new-to-me eras, and watching my kids embark on new adventures too. It’s all new and yet, before we can move on, we have to finish what we started.

As we sit through all the ceremonies, we will be exhorted to remember, to seize the day, to live life on our own terms, to make the most of every situation, and to shoot for the stars. If I were giving a graduation speech (which I’m not) I might suggest 2 things to the students who are not listening as they fidget on stage, waiting their turn to walk.

1.  Live first, take pictures second. Do things, go places, enjoy life, and then snap a photo along the way in order to remember, not in order to craft a fake story online. It bears repeating: do not live in such a way as to look good online. Rather than orchestrating what you think will look interesting to others, live your life for real, pursuing your passions, loving on the people you love, soaking up the moments and enjoying them, and LASTLY, record what you did if you think about it. 

2.  Expect a twist. Every great story has a least 1 twist. The nature of twists is that they are unexpected, and they often completely change the direction of a life, a career, or a relationship. All the careful planning in the world cannot prevent your twist, and whether it seems good or bad at the time, there is always the possibility that good can come from it, and oftentimes HOW you deal with the twist will determine WHO you ultimately become. So expect the twist. But don’t be afraid of it. You can’t do anything to prevent or hasten it, so live that life (without photos) and be prepared to embrace the twist, whatever it looks like. How you approach it may determine your future, your attitude, and the legacy you leave behind.

So that’s MY graduation advice. I’m attending the last high school graduation for my children today. We attended our first college graduation last week. I’m in the thick of it when it comes to commencing. What are you beginning right now?

Jennifer Fromke is a novelist who writes from NC, where she pines for colder temperatures all year long. Northerners by upbringing, she and her husband of 27 years have raised three Southern-ish children. Jennifer reviews books at Shetalksbooks.com and you can download a free story from her website when you sign up for her newsletter at jenniferfromke.com. She writes contemporary women’s fiction.