I hope that the days have been treating you kindly as we all embark on our summer. I hope there are many splash parks, lakes, and chances to swim in your summer schedule. Here in Saskatoon there has been a smokey haze due to the numerous forest fires in the province. My heart goes out to those affected by the fires. I pray for your safety and high spirits.
This past weekend I was able to travel to my hometown and be a part of a very special graduation. I was able to take grad pictures for the younger sister of one of my very best friends. This family has been in my life for the better part of a decade and I am extremely grateful to have had them all in my life. So as you can imagine the young woman I saw before me was about to embark on her own adult journey. My memories have kept her encapsulated as a child. I met her when she was around the age of 6 so I forever see her as that young girl. It didn't help that I moved away from my small home town and barely came back to visit. So when I realized she was graduating this year I jumped on the opportunity to be a part of the memory with her.
Entering my high school for the first time in nearly 6 years was very surreal. I was nervous, my palms were sweaty, it was the silliest thing. I guess it could be due to the fact that my closing statement to my High School career was that "The world needs saving so I'm going to be a hero". Here I was entering my High School having felt like I haven't quite met the standard I had held myself to. I felt like I should have done more, accomplished more. Yet really anyone I did happen to run in to was just glad to see me. There was no expectation that I should have saved the world already. People I happened to graduate with didn't even remember my closing statement let alone their own. Regardless I know I am on the right path and the vision I left High School with is still alive and well. It was a great experience to step foot back in that building. Like a silent motivator a building that remained even when I had gone through so much in the last 5 years.
I would like to share a photo I had taken of Jaylynn and it truly represents so much more to me than just a picture of a young woman who's accomplished graduation. It represents a coming of age and a reflection of how I felt of my graduation. So much ahead of me yet so unsure of how to truly grasp everything I want in life. Much like the smokey fog that has blanketed our province the past couple days that is what graduation feels like. My advice, if you care to hear it. Think of the biggest thing you'd like to bring to this world. What you would like people to think of you when you have left this world. How you would like to change this world for the better. Then create a plan. That is what I have done and I'm a year or two away from 'saving the world'. Of course it's one step at a time, one life at a time.
Congratulations Jaylynn, you have such a beautiful road ahead of you!
