Transitions

Yesterday, I attended Litigator's college graduation out in California. His hasn't always been the easiest of roads - it took him 5 1/2 years to complete his degree - but he is doing wonderfully, and I am so proud of him. Since I very much wanted to be at the graduation at Big Old Seminary today, I flew out to LA very early in the morning yesterday and took the red-eye flight back last night, arriving at Big Old Seminary at a quarter of the hour when the ceremony was to begin.

About that early flight yesterday - it was scheduled to depart at 5:45 a.m., so I set the alarm on my watch for 4 am so I could take a shower and have a healthy breakfast. I slept through the alarm and awoke with a start (and a moderately loud "oh, @#$@" that roused poor PH) at 5:11 a.m. Don't know how I did it, but I did make the flight, running down the concourse with my sandals in my hand since it was faster than stopping to put them back on after going through security. The rest of the flight out was uneventful, although it took a while for my heart to stop pounding. I was looking forward to getting to LAX, meeting up with StrongOpinions, whose flight was set to arrive 15 minutes after mine, picking up the rental car and heading to Litigator's place. SO, however, missed her flight, so I sat around LAX for two and a half hours - and it really isn't an airport which is friendly to those who wait for an incoming passenger. When we went to pick up the rental car, there was a line of 70 people (no, I am not exaggerating here) waiting. So we got up to Litigator's several hours later than planned, but still in plenty of time to go to the graduation. His school (of Communications, Media, and the Arts) graduated something around 700 students. Names indicated heritage that was Latino, Armenian, Hawaiian, Italian, German, Georgian, Chinese, Filipino, French, Japanese, Swedish, Irish - you name it). A large percentage of students were the first generation in their family to go to college; an equally large number worked while they studied. A very exciting and impressive group of young people, and it was wonderful to see Litigator amongst his friends, who hold him dear as we do.

This morning's graduation ceremony at BOS was less than a tenth the size. Our Presiding Bishop was there, receiving an honorary degree, as was a former BOS graduate who is now Primate of Sudan, who also received an honorary degree. The address to the students was given by a beloved professor, a very gifted speaker and homiletician - our class will be hard pressed to find a speaker as wonderful. If you want to read the address it can be found here: https://www.vts.edu/ftpimages/95/misc/misc_54414.pdf

It was wonderful and sad to bid farewell to the seniors, who enriched our lives in ways both spiritual and more mundane. They will strengthen the church and the larger world, just as the young people I saw graduate yesterday in the California sun will transform their world.

Godspeed!