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Who knew?
Random that as I headed out the door to catch a flight to San Diego with my Mr. B it crossed my mind to grab a couple of my favorite books....Life Journey's according to Mr. Rogers...and book 2...Mr. Rogers!!!
Little time to read keeping up with the hip hopping of days vacationing...however on the plane ride home we read....Me: book 1, Mr. B: book 2!!!
What a pair....Mr. Rogers Neighborhood nerds!!! LOL
Always a great read...dog eared pages, memories, tear and coffee stains....reminding me of where and when I have been there before....but I missed something before....never have I gotten to the last chapter.
It was meant for that moment, on the plane, ...30,000 feet above ground.
An excerpt from the speech Fred Rogers gave to the graduation class of Latrobe High School, his Alma Mater!
"You shall know the truth,
and the truth shall make you free."
In 1946 Mr. Rogers, Fred, graduated from High School.
At the time he really only had plans for the summer,
not thinking of what course, what journeys,
his life would take him.
He talked about how his life had taken him places he never would have planned, and yet those places were exactly meant for him.
His life, his course,
...not his plan, but better.
and the truth shall make you free."
In 1946 Mr. Rogers, Fred, graduated from High School.
At the time he really only had plans for the summer,
not thinking of what course, what journeys,
his life would take him.
He talked about how his life had taken him places he never would have planned, and yet those places were exactly meant for him.
His life, his course,
...not his plan, but better.
I was pondering his words....glancing out the window at the clouds below. Thankful for the safe flight bringing us closer to the arms of our children, that embrace that makes coming Home so exciting. I was thinking of my past....I never had a plan...other than being a Mother. Of course being a wife and mother, but if I could only have one....being a Mother would suffice.
I was pondering my graduation...the effort and tears and tantrums that brought me to this point. I didn't PLAN on graduating. It snuck up on me. I really only planned on taking a number of classes necessary to transfer to the University and graduate there....
When I met with my counselor...first meeting....this past spring, just to be sure that the Biology class I had chosen would transfer to the U, she politely congratulated me on GRADUATING!!!
Lucky me to have the BEST of both worlds.
I was pondering my graduation...the effort and tears and tantrums that brought me to this point. I didn't PLAN on graduating. It snuck up on me. I really only planned on taking a number of classes necessary to transfer to the University and graduate there....
When I met with my counselor...first meeting....this past spring, just to be sure that the Biology class I had chosen would transfer to the U, she politely congratulated me on GRADUATING!!!
I told her, "I don't want to graduate...that isn't my plan...I just want to transfer...."
She looked so confused and again politely congratulated me..."Well, you have all the credits to graduate, so good job! And yes, your credits will transfer, and yes, your Biology will count....towards your GRADUATION!!!"Back to the point:
Mr. Rogers commencement address!!!
As I read it tears creeped
into the corners of my eyes.
In theory I was graduating,
at that exact moment.
And this was the speech....
meant especially for me,
for MY moment.
"Fifty years from now I trust that you'll look back over your journey and recognize the blessings---great and small---which helped to carry you through, and also realize how other people shared their truth and their light with you and made the trip less lonely.
You know, none of us gets to be competent, mature people without the help of others.
By now you have discovered that you don't have to go it alone.
In fact, no one gets to be a graduate without the investment of other people: people who have loved you along the way.
During this extra special time, I'd like to give you a minute to think of those who have believed in you...those who have helped you life your life knowing what was good and real.
A minute of silence for all of us to remember those who have cared about us through our lives: people who have made a significant difference in our being who we are right now.
One minute of silence."
.
.blessings---great and small.
♥
♥
Mr. Rogers concluded:
"Whomever you've
been thinking about,
whether they're here
or far away
or even in heaven,
imagine how pleased
they'd be to know
that you recognize
what a difference
they've made
in your becoming.
And I trust that you'll discover how much our world needs your truth."
Mr. Rogers commencement address!!!
As I read it tears creeped
into the corners of my eyes.
In theory I was graduating,
at that exact moment.
And this was the speech....
meant especially for me,
for MY moment.
"Fifty years from now I trust that you'll look back over your journey and recognize the blessings---great and small---which helped to carry you through, and also realize how other people shared their truth and their light with you and made the trip less lonely.
You know, none of us gets to be competent, mature people without the help of others.
By now you have discovered that you don't have to go it alone.
In fact, no one gets to be a graduate without the investment of other people: people who have loved you along the way.
During this extra special time, I'd like to give you a minute to think of those who have believed in you...those who have helped you life your life knowing what was good and real.
A minute of silence for all of us to remember those who have cared about us through our lives: people who have made a significant difference in our being who we are right now.
One minute of silence."
.
.blessings---great and small.♥
♥Mr. Rogers concluded:
"Whomever you've
been thinking about,
whether they're here
or far away
or even in heaven,
imagine how pleased
they'd be to know
that you recognize
what a difference
they've made
in your becoming.
And I trust that you'll discover how much our world needs your truth."
Yes, indeed I accomplished the necessary course to graduate. I had jumped through hoops, stumbled, fallen, failed, succeeded...but more important...I had leaned on so many who helped me to get to this place, this point, this moment.
My minute of silence was more like MINUTES....
As I looked out the window to the wing and thought of the wind beneath my wings...my family, my husband, children, siblings, nieces and nephews, cousins, grandfather, grandparents gone before...parents, some here...some passed, aunts and uncles, brother and sisters-in-law, friends, class-mates, ward members, primary children, neighbors who became friends, fellow survivors, 12-steppers, gas station attendants - aka daily therapists :), pets, bloggers, musicians Neil D, Natalie M., Alecia Beth Moore, Jack Johnson, Prince, dpchmd, ziggy...too many to list... Jeff Probst, and of course...Mr. Rogers and Kermit!
i didn't plan this...
and thank God
for His planning
the best things in my life!
"... life had taken [me] places [ i ] never would have planned, and yet those places were exactly meant for [me].
My minute of silence was more like MINUTES....
As I looked out the window to the wing and thought of the wind beneath my wings...my family, my husband, children, siblings, nieces and nephews, cousins, grandfather, grandparents gone before...parents, some here...some passed, aunts and uncles, brother and sisters-in-law, friends, class-mates, ward members, primary children, neighbors who became friends, fellow survivors, 12-steppers, gas station attendants - aka daily therapists :), pets, bloggers, musicians Neil D, Natalie M., Alecia Beth Moore, Jack Johnson, Prince, dpchmd, ziggy...too many to list... Jeff Probst, and of course...Mr. Rogers and Kermit!
THANK YOU!
i didn't plan this...
and thank God
for His planning
the best things in my life!
"... life had taken [me] places [ i ] never would have planned, and yet those places were exactly meant for [me].
[my] life, [my] course,
...not [my] plan, but better..."
2 comments:
More beauty...more tears of JOY and some of sorrow and regrets. ♥♥♥
Congrats on your graduation and the knowledge you have gained, not only book smarts but heart smarts. I'm glad your sweet children took care of your commencement exercises! You've worked hard! I'm glad that Mr. Rogers spoke at your graduation. He's full of insight.
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