Graduation Day At Clemson

Another chapter of life.

My youngest daughter, Kayla, graduated from Clemson University on Friday 5/8/09. She has her degree in secondary education English.

Graduation Day holds many eventful and emotional moments.

The weather got the day off to a rousing, rinsing start.

As soon as my wife, my parents and I started heading for Kayla's apartment in the Clemson area, it began raining like mad. We were on Interstate 85, and for miles and miles, the rain just wouldn't let up. I had a schedule to keep, so while I didn't speed (much), I didn't back off the pedal either.

We got to the apartment without much trouble, but my older daughter Lauren was dropping Kayla off at Littlejohn Coliseum so she could line up early with the other graduates. Lauren was stuck in Clemson traffic, and she hadn't had lunch.

Daddy... and Subway... to the rescue! Lunch was waiting when she reached Kayla's apartment. My dad stayed there, and the rest of us headed for Clemson.

Our special parking spot in the lot across from Littlejohn was convenient, worth every extra penny we had to pay for it.

My nearly 79-year-old mother was a real trooper when it came to finding seats. I grabbed her hand and guided her through the crowd while Gayle and Lauren scouted for seats. Only seats near the top of the upper stands were available, so we made our way to an open spot. I know it wasn't easy for my mom, but she didn't complain.

As I watched Kayla through the lens of our video camera, I thought back to the big events of her life. Yes, Daddy was getting emotional, same as I'd done when Lauren graduated in that very building. Kayla made good grades and worked hard to earn her degree. We had worked hard to make her opportunity financially possible. Her sister had blazed the Clemson trail for our family and given Kayla the benefit of her college experience.

Two-and-a-half hours later, she was officially a graduate of Clemson University!

We snaked our way through the crowd of picture-taking families and friends, got in our car, then headed back to the apartment to pick up my dad and go to dinner.

Dinner was the next adventure.

We had decided to celebrate at the Outback Restaurant in Anderson.

It was Friday night. Graduation night. The place was packed. I thought we'd never find a parking space (actually two spaces; the girls were in a separate car).

Exactly one hour later we were seated.

Despite the exasperating wait, our experience inside was terrific. The food was just great, the service was top-notch, no one left hungry.

The girls hugged us goodbye and left for their own private celebration. My wife, my parents and I got on I-85 and headed home. The drive back was much better than the drive down.

Kayla has her degree.

And she also has a job!

She will be teaching English at Boiling Springs Junior High School. I am very proud of her, and I appreciate deeply the opportunity she's been given by the administration of Spartanburg School District Two. They're getting a good young teacher. The children will be in good hands.

I guess this is my final college graduation ceremony until my girls have families of their own. If I'm still around when my grandchildren finish college, I will likely be over 80 years old.

Just about the age my mom and dad were on the occasion of Kayla's graduation.

If I'm at all physically able, I plan to be at my grandkids' graduation, even if I have to walk in slowly with a cane or ride in a wheelchair like I saw so many grandparents doing last Friday at Clemson. I understand exactly why they wanted to be there in person, even if it took all the energy and effort they could muster.

And I expect to be taken out for a heckuva dinner afterwards too. I hope it takes a big table to seat all of us.

Shoot, I'll even pay!