Chris's graduation ceremony was Thursday night at the Whiting Auditorium. It had been five years since I'd walked the stage, and I felt just as anxious for my brother as I did for myself. With a GPA of 4.0, he had the highest in his class, and graduated as Valedictorian.
With that honor, he's given the opportunity to give a speech in front of his classmates and all the guests. Although I knew he was very nervous (he didn't eat all day), when he was introduced and stepped in front of 1800+ people, he never faltered once. His speech was fabulous. Every word was strong, and hearing it sent chills down my spine, and brought tears to the corners of my eyes. Four years of very hard work lead up to that five minutes of his life which he will never forget. I clapped so hard my hands hurt.
Afterwards, he and his classmates walked the stage and received their diplomas, and a chapter of his life was closed forever. We spent a lot of time afterwards hugging teachers, friends, and family, and I took a ton of photos to capture it all. This year, when I go back to pharmacy school, he'll be going off in his own new direction, staring off from that beginning I began years ago. I'm so incredibly proud of him.
At the school board meeting this past Tuesday, he said that the person he most admires is me. That he strives in his endeavors to be more like me; to make me proud. But he is like me, and more importantly, he is himself. There is nothing greater than that. He's watched me chase my dream, and now I'm delighted to say it's his turn. I'm ready to tell him not to give up, to pick him up when he falls, and to cheer him on. I'll be waiting to celebrate at each sweet finish line.
I love him so much; my brother, my friend.
Shoot for the stars
7 comments:
That's really cool. :)
Three in a row… your father must have some powerful seed.
jeez, how do ya'll differentiate between the three medals?!
:P
(btw, there's some SERIOUS genetic likeness going on in that picture *note eyes, smiles, and nozez*)
(btw, there's some SERIOUS genetic likeness going on in that picture *note eyes, smiles, and nozez*)
Pooowwweeerfulll seeeeeed.
Lol, thanks Mike, I've told him and he puffed his chest out slightly in response. ;)
Our first, middle and last names are engraved on the back of each medal, that's how we tell them apart. Also, Chris's medal is more shiny than Kristen's and mine. :)
oooOOOOooo...did Chris notice the upregulation of shiny-ness? how does this make YOU feel? *shoves microphone in yo face*
:P *hee*
His only has increased shiny-ness because its newer. However, I would like to point out that ours did NOT fall off their ribbons immediately after that photo was taken...His did. :-)
HAHA...oh man, spoken like tha true sista' of Ananda! :P
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