I’ll be attending two graduations within the span of one week. Today I’m going to see my grandson Mark graduate from law school. An award ceremony was held yesterday afternoon with limited seating and I was unable to attend that, still I saw a video clip of that with him receiving a very prestigious award. The Larry B Shoda award for academic excellence. Mark has always been an outstanding student and so it came as no surprise to me. Having seen him go from diapers to deposition I couldn’t be prouder to be called his grandfather. The BAR exam awaits and I have no doubt he will excel at that as well. He has a clerkship waiting for him in September. That will mark his first official position as an attorney!

Just five days from now my granddaughter Morgan will have her graduation ceremony from Radiological Technician school. It comes with a bachelors degree. She too, has always excelled in school. I take great pride in her as well and her accomplishments. Balancing work and school isn’t an easy task! She hasn’t secured a position just yet but I’m certain she will soon enough. Any facility would benefit from her presence. She is an excellent worker, always on time, has a great attitude and is very conscientious of her duties.

It’s an amazing thing this being a grandparent. You’ve been down this road before with your own children, watched them learn and grow. You saw them graduate from school, become a member of the working world, have children of their own. Watching those children grow however, is something different. You are more in the advisory role. A balance has to be struck with their “parents” and yourself. Now your kids are using the , “because I said so” logic and you have to accept that once again.

Now I’ve reached the point where all my grandchildren are grown, out of school and joining the work force. I’ve watched the whole progression, have so many memories to reflect upon, and yet it seems like it all happened overnight. I even have a great granddaughter. I’ve already seen her first steps, heard her first words. The beginning of another generation! It’s a new world. I’ll be watching closely as this new world unfolds before me, a world where I’m not in control, not that I ever was.

I guess what I’m saying is all my grandchildren are now adults. None are in school anymore. One is married with a child of his own, the other two are living independently of their parents, on their own as the saying goes. Adults? Yes I understand that but when talking to my wife when we say, the “kids” we are talking about our children, they will always be our kids. The grandkids will always be the grandkids. It’s just hard to realize that grandkids can be adults! Doesn’t seem right somehow.