Graduation Day!

"You are only young once, but you can remain immature indefinitely." (Ogden Nash)

East Coast Dash, Day 3: Graduation Day

As I was scrolling through all the graduation shots I took today, I finally landed on this one: Cate (in blue) and her best friend Margaret all dressed up for graduation, nails done, hair blown out by the local hairdresser, make-up carefully perfected, sophisticated new dresses, matching high-heel shoes and tastefully placed jewelry.

Add the Aviators, pink mortarboard tiaras and Charlie's Angels pose (plus Mom's Suburban poised in the driveway to chauffeur), and you have the perfect picture of what being 14 is all about! My friend Patty, looking at an equally fun picture of our daughter, Alyssa, a couple of years ago, described it perfectly: they're becoming responsible young adults, but they still have all the fun of a puppy! I couldn't agree more!

It's hard to believe these sophisticated young ladies, friends since kindergarten, are on their way to high school next year. Every girl in Cate's graduating class is heading to a different school, but there's no doubt the friendships they've fashioned over the past 8 years will endure, even flourish, as they all head toward college. Like most girls her age, Cate is quickly learning the true value of her girlfriends, and having myself relied upon close female friendships endless times and at every turn throughout my adult life, it's comforting to see (and remember) how and where these friendships start.

For the moment, I hope Cate and Margaret don't grow up too fast and that they'll savor their young teenage years. Of course, this is a wish spoken in hindsight and with a full understanding that "being grown up" is the number one goal of an "almost 15" year old girl - this stage of life isn't counted by how old you actually are, but how many months it is until your next birthday! (In fact, these girls are now defining their years by how long it will be until they get their driving permits and can taste the freedom of sitting behind the wheel on their own - even if the wheels do belong to mom and dad!)

Despite their impatient race into the future, how fortunate we are to share these years and these times with them - their energy is infectious and invigorating! If these girls are the future of America, then clearly, we're in very good hands!