graduation day

I finished my paper. Today my professor said, congratulations on your excellent paper.

I beamed. Because it really is excellent that I finished it. And it proves to me that despite how difficult I am, my people will step in and pull me to the finish line. My people. My excellent people.

Ramona, Brian, Dr. Robins, Bambi, Daniel. My people.

Ramona: you never really cared whether I was there or not. Dad is just as good as mom, thank you for knowing that.

Brian: you are no hero. there is no magic here. you don't rush in to save me. you make me find my own way every time. you aren't living this life for me. you weren't put on this earth to make my dreams come true. you fought me over every moment I took. and that's the way it should be. I'd pick you out of every man on earth.

Dr. Robins: you taught me about being a great teacher. You never lowered your expectations, but also never hated me for failing. You offered no praise and in turn, no blame. When I came back, we just started where I was. This is teaching.

Bambi: you hounded me over this paper even when I had no intention of writing it. I wrote it to please you. I wrote it so we could be friends without you badgering me all the time. God's Honest Truth.

Daniel: you called me a Proust reading thesis writing bad-ass. Talking is not the same as writing, but I always did my best work after a good long talk. Everyone deserves a friend as wise as you.

I'm not going to "walk", there will be no party. It just took me too long and I'm ready to move on. This is it. Welcome to my graduation. Congratulations on your excellent paper, Nova Bradfield.