Sidharth High School Graduation - 6th Jun 2021

 

Sat Jun 6th, 2021 was a pretty momentous day for our family. Our firstborn Sidharth graduated from high school and will make his way into the world of college, independent living (hopefully) and relinquish the last vestiges of childhood, and crawl toward the mirage of adulthood (again, hopefully). Apart from the momentous moments of our children coming into this world, first words/steps, etc., this day was as big as they come, one that I hope to remember in slo-mo when I relive all my key life epoch moments, in my head.

Troy High School organized an awesome event for the High School graduation, at the DTE Music Theater in Clarkston. The event was supposed to start at 9AM, but the kids were supposed to report at 8AM for logistics, etc. So all of us arose early at 6AM, prettied ourselves with our Sunday best, left the poor pup in the crate, and headed to the venue. It was a beautiful day, though it did get a tad hotter later in the day, the day started out impeccably weather-wise. Handing out and managing diplomas for 525 graduates is a massive undertaking, which the school organized without a glitch. The venue was packed with about 1000-1500 parents, grandparents, and guests in attendance. Most of them, sans masks and of course no social distancing protocols, were followed. Score one for herd immunity!!!

We had pretty good seats, a few rows behind where the fresh new graduates were seated. The event began with testimonials about their graduation from the school alumni. Amongst other testimonials what stood out most was some ex-student advising the graduated to go thru life with kindness. Be kind he said, to your friends, teachers, siblings, parents, and mostly to yourself. Of course, there were many other good ones, but this one spoke to me the most. And then the procession began for handing out the diplomas and the kids walked away with that piece of paper in their hands that they’d worked twelve years and one that would propel them into the next phase of their lives, viz. college.

It was an emotional time as I sat there looking at these young graduates thinking that many of them will go and change the world for the better. Maybe some of them will find ways to manage the environmental destruction better or end wars, end poverty or even end sickness. The world is their oyster and within their grasp for the young. I feel that Sidharth could sense this profound life lesson lecture coming to him on the ride back home, so before he got dragged back home with the parents, he jumped into his friends' car, and off they went to Cranbrook gardens to click pictures with their group. The festivities ended with a family lunch at Maggianos, after which we were in a food coma for pretty much the rest of the weekend.

I’m not sure where the past 18 years of our lives have flown by and while I wish the very best for Sidharth over the next four years and beyond, but if he takes just one piece of advice from the ceremony, he’ll be well served and forever happy in life: BE KIND.