Milestones are meant to be celebrated.
Whether they are simple or complex, every milestone has some sort of meaning.
This season of the year is full of milestone celebrations. From kindergarten graduations to receiving a diploma from Central Alabama Community College, we’ve been a part of so many of those.
I went to my nephew’s kindergarten graduation earlier this week at Dadeville Elementary School. Kindergarten graduation may not seem all that important. It’s just a ceremony after all.
But for those kids, it’s the biggest thing they’ve ever done.
It’s moving from being a newbie at school to being a seasoned first-grade veteran, and it’s an important step in growing up.
Each student got a chance to say what he or she wanted to be when they grew up. From the more standard answers like firefighter or teacher to the off-the-wall options like Miss Alabama or a spaceman YouTuber, these kids have their whole worlds ahead of them.
And high school graduation is much the same. Although they don’t get to talk about what they want to be when they grow up or get a chance to speak at the microphone, each one of those seniors has a story to tell. Each one is going on to do something great in his or her own way.
Just like those kindergarteners who still want to be ballerinas, seniors across the tri-county area are forging their paths in life. Whether it be going on to higher education or trade school or getting straight into the workforce or military, there are some huge things that await.
But don’t grow up too fast.
I think that’s what’s most important to remember during these times of year. Being an adult has its positives, to be sure. You can eat ice cream before dinner and you don’t have a curfew.
But I’m here to tell you, being an adult is for the birds. Be a kid as long as you can be.
Everyone waits and waits to get to high school graduation, anxious for what the real world presents. But there’s something truly special about reveling in the moment.
Soak up every last memory you can get with your classmates, and take all the photos you can.
As much as the real world has to offer, there’s something very special about the milestones you’re celebrating today.
Lizi Arbogast Gwin is the managing editor of Tallapoosa Publishers Inc. She can be reached at 434-962-9420 or via email at lizi.gwin@alexcityoutlook.com.
