Well it's that time of the year when all the parents start posting all the GREAT things their graduating kids are doing. End of the year concerts complete with solos, graduating at the top of the class, college scholarships, manning a flight to the moon. (Ok maybe not that one.) I'm guilty of it too. Totally and completely guilty. I'm not knocking all those great achievements ( I mean props to them for all their hard work) but lately I've been thinking about the "other" kids.
What about the the straight C student who has a learning disability but shows up on time for class every day? What about the girl who sits in the back of the classroom and quietly does her work but the teacher (or the kids for that matter) don't hardly know her name? What about the third chair trumpet player who is never going to be awarded "outstanding musician" their senior year but who practices all the same and shows up early to set up for their concert where they will never get a solo? What about the boy who will always be in the chorus, but never the star of the school musical or the teen who isn't able to do any extra curriculars because they have to babysit their younger siblings?
What about all the kids that because of lack of money or parent involvement or both will never be the "star" because they can't afford private lessons or tutors or "select" sports teams?
What about them?
To them I say--you're the real stars. Because you are learning that life isn't about how many awards you can rack up. It's not about what others think of you or what people say about you. It's not about the type of home you live in, the pile of graduation cords you'll wear, the stars next to your name on the program of whatever concert/play/recital you are currently in.
Sure, those things are nice. Very nice in fact. But I'll let you in on a little secret. Those things go away eventually. I can't remember the last time someone wanted to know if I was a cheerleader in high school. Or asked me my GPA or my ACT scores. My husband was the lead in his high school's production of "The Wiz" but I haven't seen him signing any autographs lately. I'm pretty sure when I was neck deep in the "joys" of stay at home motherhood and changing my umpteenth diaper my two year old was not impressed that I was crowned Freshman Homecoming Princess. Nope. He just asked to watch Barney and threw up on me.
So to all you average, run of the mill, mediocre graduates I say, "Congrats." You have weathered the high school storm and you are going to do just fine. Just fine.
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