A future so bright . . .

I could barely make out my youngest son’s voice in the rear seat of the car. I switched off the radio and the air conditioner to hear him better. He couldn’t have been more than 7 or 8 years old. It had to be one of the most surreal scenes in my life.

In his little kid voice and mannerisms he was explaining to me how DNA is stored in the cell nucleus and serves as a “blueprint” for building proteins that carry out essential tasks in our bodies. Um, okay. I’ll take your word on that one big guy!

He was explaining things to me that went over my head in high school Biology Class oh so many years ago. Out of his mouth though it made perfect sense. He could barely pronounce nucleus but he was talking like it was the usual stuff he saw everyday on Phineas and Ferb, the animated cartoon he watched most afternoons. I felt like I understood DNA for the first time in my life. Really! That’s pretty fascinating.

I shook my head in agreement. I wasn’t sure if I should break out into tears or give him a standing ovation. “You go bud — better get you some sunglasses! You’re going places.”

AI Image of a College Graduation

In the blink of an eye!

I’ll be thinking about that moment this weekend. I’ll be thinking about another time too. He was older, a senior in high school. We were in the car again. This time I was dropping him off at school. Our conversation on the short ride had jumped from his plans the coming weekend to his choices for college. He was looking at several different schools. I could see the worry in his eyes and fear in the back of his throat.

He looked like he had the weight of the world. Would he get into his first choice? How would he and us pay for college? Would he cut it? Would he flunk out in the first semester? I told him often to simply follow his heart. He listened, but I didn’t always feel that he got what I was saying.

This time though, the message for whatever reason, finally seemed to hit home. In seconds he went from looking deathly ill to someone who got a new lease on life.

Yes, a thousand different memories will hit me this weekend. Our son graduates from West Virginia University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology. In the fall, he’ll be working toward his masters degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University of Pittsburgh. It’s an exciting time for him. I couldn’t be prouder of everything that he’s accomplished.

AI image of a college graduation.

The Power of Perseverance

He’s slayed more than a few dragons to get to this point. He could’ve stopped or taken any number of detours at any point along the journey. But, he set a goal for himself and pushed forward.

Mainly I’m proud of the man he’s become. He’s smart, kind, and considerate of others. He approaches problems head-on and as my dad used to say, “he’s got a good head on his shoulders.” He’ll make an outstanding counselor. And yes, I’m excited about celebrating with him this weekend and making a slew of new memories.

Yup, better get you some shades! You got a bright future!