The end of a line.

That is what we have fought for all these years.

As we sit here and picture the past–

Holding school lunches and backpacks the size of our heads.

Looking around, so much has changed.

Our backpacks turned into diplomas, 

And lunches into graduation caps.

Field days turned into football games.

Water balloons and jumping through hula hoops,

Now linebackers running a play and 

Water bottles hitting our heads in the stands.

My point is, we’ve grown up.

Some of us grew facial hair,

Others dyed their hair once to try it out,

Twice because they regretted it.

We joined clubs and made new friends,

Friends we might still talk to in 20 years.

All these things we picked up along the way.

All these things that we will remember far down the line

When our friends or children ask us about it.

All these things that we won’t let go of.

And as we all look to our left,

At our parents or friends,

We remember all the times they told us we needed to go to school.

We remember all the times we rolled our eyes and 

How we quickly started smiling within the hour at school.

We stare at our hundreds of red and white gowns.

I hope you stare with pride,

With resilience, and hope. 

You’ve walked countless miles of school ground to get here,

Thank yourself.

This might be the end, but it’s also the beginning,

The beginning of a time.