The Pride of High School Graduation

Wednesday, May 7, 2025
written by Kelly McGinn

High school graduation for our youngest, Jackson, is this month. It's a moment we’ve anticipated for years, yet somehow it still snuck up on us. One day, we’re walking him into his first day of kindergarten, tightening the straps on his backpack, and the next, we will be watching him walk across a stage in a cap and gown.

It’s hard to put into words what it feels like to have your child graduate high school. There’s an overwhelming mix of pride, joy, and nostalgia - so many emotions woven into this time in our lives. We feel proud of who they've become, how hard they’ve worked, and all they've overcome to reach this milestone. We remember the long nights spent studying, the early morning alarms, the moments of self-doubt and determination. Graduation is the culmination of all of that - and more.

But underneath the pride, there’s something else too: a quiet ache. Because this time in our lives also marks the end of a chapter. The childhood years - the years of scraped knees, school projects, sleepovers, and countless sports activities - are beginning to fade into memory. And that’s a hard truth for any parent to accept. We’ve poured our hearts into these years, showing up day after day in ways big and small, helping shape the person they are now. Letting go, even just a little, feels like a tender kind of grief.

There’s a strange duality to graduation. You’re celebrating a huge achievement, yet mourning the passage of time. You're thrilled about their future, but clinging to the past. You want to freeze time and fast-forward it, all at once. You watch your child take senior photos, throw their cap in the air, and beam with possibility - and you wonder how it all happened so quickly.

And yet, this is what it’s all been for. Every bedtime story, every parent-teacher conference, every moment of encouragement or discipline - it was all leading to this point. Not just the diploma, but the confidence, resilience, and identity they've built along the way. They're not just graduating from school - they’re stepping into adulthood, and we get to witness the beginning of that journey.

For parents, graduation is more than a ceremony. It’s a deeply emotional turning point. It's the moment you realize your role is shifting - from daily caretaker to lifelong supporter. They still need us, but in new ways. We’ll no longer be there for every test, every challenge, every success. But we will always be cheering from the sidelines, just a phone call away, ready to listen, advise, and support.

So we celebrate with full hearts. We cry a little too, because that’s what love looks like when it’s faced with change. We take pictures, hug tight, and say, “We’re so proud of you,” knowing those words barely scratch the surface of how we feel. We reflect on how far they've come - and how far we've come as parents too.

Graduation is not just their milestone. It’s ours too. It’s proof that we’ve done something right. That we’ve helped nurture a young person into someone ready to face the world. It’s the close of one beautiful chapter, and the exciting, uncertain beginning of another.

No matter where life takes them, a part of our hearts walks with them. Always. My prayer for Jackson is to go into this world and live fiercely. Goodbye Chaparral High School and Go Wildcats!