A Case-Load of Emotions

That is, a wide variety of emotions crammed into one short suitcase–and one short weekend.

My oldest child graduated from college on Sunday and became a man–no wait, of course, he was already a man and has been a legal adult for some years now.  Graduating from a Big 10 school in an immense stadium with tens of thousands of other people on hand seemed to put the wax seal on it, though.

I was surprised and delighted by the symmetry of the family who attended the ceremony.  Of my husband’s three living brothers all three attended, at no small distance either, one set of aunt and uncle from Indiana, one from Michigan and one from Montana.  I never dreamed they would all come all that way, and my son’s 86-year old grandmother as well.  So we had a full house (actually apartment) from his dad’s side of the family and it made me very happy.

We overpowered the living space in my son’s apartment, while his very tolerant roommate continued to game online at the table and there was a huge family catch up, which included the exchange of various family heirlooms an uncle had found in his basement and brought to distribute.  I went out to pick up groceries and the sushi order, and Dad and an uncle went out to get pizza for everyone.

Then we had to shoo them out so our son could go to bed! I wrapped up the lunches for the morrow’s long ceremony and got them ready to load up in the morning.

We had breakfast at the hotel as various sleepy family members arrived including the man of the hour–catching up–checking in–and attempting to come up with a plan for where to sit at the stadium.  Turns out we didn’t really come up with a plan, which led to quite a journey for the rest of the party attempting to enter the other side of the stadium from where I had managed, with the help of a family sitting the next row up, to save almost enough seats for our party of twelve.  But we did A) successfully get the graduate to his assembly location for his college in time for him to make it to his own commencement and B) get the family in the stadium before he actually filed back down across the field after the speeches, amidst thousands of others, to receive his diploma, and there was rejoicing despite the discomfort of the bleachers, so I would call it a success.

Earlier that day, in preparation, I drove my son back from the hotel to his apartment so he could don his regalia.  While he was getting himself assorted I actually had time to un-snap and roll out the tablecloth and spread out the wonderful insect-themed plates and napkins I had picked for the after-graduation party, and put out the glass platters and dishes I had brought along for the goodies.  We made it maybe half way to his meet-up location on campus before getting hopelessly bogged down in westward moving traffic and being told by gesturing official looking people that we must veer south.  I dropped my son off in the parking lot near the pedestrian bridge over the river, told him I would see him later, and watched him proceed up the curve of the bridge with the sunlight glancing down into my eyes, turning things golden.

That memory of his college graduation stands out like a snapshot.

After we wrapped up the party that evening, cleared the food and plates out, and packed up the last of his belongings, he turned in his keys, and took his immediate family, grandmother, and remaining uncle and aunt to the lab where he’s been doing research with termites for the last two years.

We saw the termites in the clear cases crawling around, and some lovely bees at the hives in back of the lab.

I see him sitting on the couch with the children of some good friends, talking animatedly with a fellow student about music, waiting for all of us at our appointed post-ceremony meeting spot near the shuttle pick up, hugging his aunts and uncles as they poured in to his apartment.

I remember reading a book in the bathroom at 2 a.m. the night before to pass the time because I couldn’t sleep.

I remember the warm hugs of family, the singing of the national anthem while watching an immense flag be raised at the ceremony, the joy and grief that welled up in my heart as I remembered all the other days that came before.

I don’t know what memories my husband and mother-in-law and son will carry away from this weekend. But I do know for me–they are unforgettable.