WOW!

My son and I spent some time this evening to assemble his high school graduation invitations. It was only a couple of weeks ago that I had spent time to create a simple mail merge document to print the mailing labels. The return address was already provided by the company the school used to print the package.

Due to limited seating, we were allowed to send a finite number of invitations so immediate family members and close friends were on the guest list. There was a bit of hesitancy as we had to figure out the order of the materials but it did not take long before we had our system. He assembled the invitation and stuffed it into the tight-fitting “inner” envelope and passed it to me for the outside assembly.

The process was swift and after I  placed the postage stamp on the last invitation,my heart was filled with different emotions!

On the one hand, it was a blessing to be a part of my last son’s graduation preparations. He has endured a lot for his first 18 years on earth. The high school years were a challenge given the coursework assigned and the various lessons about life. However, he has grown into a fine young man. His next journey will take him to a local college campus where his world will expand even more. So much to learn and exciting experiences await his arrival.

On the flip side, I felt relieved that throughout the past seven and a half years, our journey has brought us through a most difficult time in our lives together. The conversations we have had and the adjustments we have made has made us stronger for each other. His mother was very proud of him and I am sure her presence will be felt on graduation day!

Life throws a lot of punches that will knock us down, stun our senses, and is always prepared to deliver more blows to keep us down. Champions, however, learn to adapt, develop ways to defend, and have the “extra” courage to stand up knowing that they can withstand the next confrontation.

Strength is found in those who are determined to fight and WIN throughout their lifetime in spite of the obstacles because, for champions, these are merely bumps in the road that will be a distant memory. Champions are always determined to keep moving forward without taking their eyes off the prize of life.

We have chosen to be champions and though there were bumps along the way, we are HERE today with a focus on the future! We have chosen the courage to live on!!!