Photo by CarbonNYC
Caps, gowns, and sitting in bleachers until one special person walks across the stage is a popular activity at this time of year.
I have several graduation announcements all begging for perfect gifts. But what are they?
- A friend says she gives a small, black velvet bag with golden one-dollar coins inside.
- Another swears by the good ol’ Cross Pen set
- Probably the most logical advice I’ve received was: “Give ‘em money. Everybody loves money.”
But I would like something more enduring. Something that would inspire hope in a dark period of life, because when you’re first starting out on the adult trail, you can expect that around one of the bends is a shadowy passage.
It made me think about what I received for graduation a million years ago. I could have really used luggage, but I didn’t get any. I did get pens and money. And I remember a thin, golden book called Apples of Gold. It was full of quotes and words of wisdom.
I didn’t read it until I was in graduate school. I probably didn’t think I needed it until I hit one of those dark nights of adult life.
Lisa of Tao of Webfoot says she still remembers a version of Rudyard Kipling’s poem, “If,” that had been adapted and given to her.
So maybe when we’re in grade school “Sticks and Stones may break our bones….
But when graduating into life…..
The gift of words have the power to inspire, heal, and give hope for a very long time.
What do you remember about your graduation gifts?
