graduation

45 or 50 graduates. A good gym stage full.

Then there were awards. A dozen and then two dozen and then hundreds and then thousands. Or so it seemed. It took 30 or 40 minutes to give out award after award, mostly to the same dozen or so students.

But down toward the end they honored a mother (OK she was not a mother she was a grandmother). She is called D, simply. For complex reasons she took on the task of raising her 3 or 4 grandkids. She was single and was working at the local post office.

When soccer season rolled around, D would make sure the kids were all registered and their fees were paid. When it was time for Cub Scouts, same story, and summer baseball, same again.

A picture was circulated showing about dozen of the guys in the graduating class, but the picture was take when they were in grammar school, 5 or 6 years ago. The picture was of the boys at soccer practice. My grandson Griffy was among the group.

I doubt any of them ever won anything remotely close to a championship, but they learned so much about life and living and it would not have happened had it not been for this grandmother who was raising her grandkids and along the way raising half of the neighbor kids as well.

D, you are fabulous and the ovation you received today does not begin to tell the whole story or the tanks we all owe you.

Thanks for all of what you have done for the kids, boys and girls.