clarity

I hate to sound cliché and I try as much as I can to avoid it, but I just cannot. 

Do you every have that moment of clarity where finally everything makes sense and you see the light before you? I cannot help but believe that this moment and emotion that I currently carry is one of those unrealistic moments. Why so unrealistic? This is the point in time that I can believe what I want to such as future careers, experiences, loves, and memories. The reality is that I may never know what is to come. I may never know until I am in my old age and able to realize everything in front of me.

I say all of this gibberish because I am graduating in less than a week and I cannot believe all that I am leaving behind. I could cry over how many hours I have spent on worthless projects, but it would mean nothing because all I can think about it is the sense of community I had in school is going away. I have always longed for a place to call "home" where I knew that everything would be whole and perfectly alright and now that I think about it, it was my school system. Yes, many of my moments in school were spent whining over how much I wanted to get out and far away, but of course, realization sets in on my gift of an amazing school with some priceless people. I just wish I could freeze a couple moments of time so that I could savor them over and over again, and sadly I know I cannot do that. 

After all of these years of begging to leave, it's a horrible punishment to know that I'll miss my school. I'll miss the respect from administrators, chats with teachers, walking through empty hallways, and of course, creating happy memory after memory with my friends. It never ceases to amaze me how many people I have been able to get acquainted with and create such strong bonds and lasting friendships. Sadly, I know that the majority of them will not stick without the glue of school community. It's without our common stomping grounds, I fear that I will never see some people again.

What about those new peers? The new friends that change your views on life? I know that it sounds horribly corny, but I just love to think about all of the things that have made my friends laugh. I love the feeling of pride that comes when your friends laugh with you and you know that they are there to support you. I know I'll miss one new friend more than anything because of their kind character. It's because of them that I know that I should never make assumptions to people's lives because I know some of their habits. The truth is, when you are a bright spirit, and are willing to share your love with others, you will always find people at your side who also radiate love outwards along with respect. It's the confidence of life that brings us together, but it's the love of company and difference that keeps us together.

I can only make one wish for my future years in a new school community-that they too are looking for a sense of home within their community and are willing to share their souls and love to everyone to make us all whole. For only then will we be a family, which is definitely more than you could imagine to ask for.

For seniors-congrats on graduating! You are true survivors of life!