I caught the end of NBC News tonight and watched their short 4 minute video on the footage of the 2014 commencement season. I got goosebumps watching (Pomp and Circumstance gets me every time) and I became so emotional. It instantly brought me back to where Amanda and I were seven years ago. Clip after clip revealed the faces of graduates and their friends and family. Each face showing pride, accomplishment, excitement, anxiousness, and hope for what's to come next.
I loved watching the short clips of various commencement addresses that happened around the nation. Here's a few words that I loved from John Legend's address:
I know what it's like to be all ego in your 20s. I know what it's like to be selfish and just focus on your immediate wants and desires. I know what it's like to protect your heart from pain and disappointment. I know what it means to be all about the rat race and winning.
But years from now, when you look back on your time here on earth, your life and your happiness will be way more defined by the quality of your relationships, not the quantity. You'll get much more joy out of depth, not breadth. It's about finding and keeping the best relationships possible with the people around you. It's about immersing yourself in your friendships and your family. It's about being there for the people you care about, and knowing that they'll be there for you.
Click on the link above to watch these beautiful moments that swept the nation over these past few weeks. After watching that footage, I felt proud of myself. Yes! Myself! As June swoops in this weekend, I'm reminded of the fact that I made it through another school year. I made a difference in fifty students' lives. Another chapter is closing and I can't wait for the next one to open. The best thing about being a teacher is being able to reflect year after year. Feeling grateful tonight.
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