This is just something I wanted to share with you all.
So, the sappy person inside of me, the same one who cries at movies, weddings, births of babies, sad background music in not-really-THAT-sad-movies, or at just the drop of a hat, sat there holding back the tears at my niece’s graduation ceremony. Gads! I really don’t know why I wanted to cry, but I did. Nothing new with me. I am a boob.
I did quite well holding back until one of the student speakers stood up and spoke about a special graduate, Elsha. Elsha is 18 years old, suffers from Muscular Dystrophy, is wheelchair bound and weighs all of 36 pounds. The speaker told of the dedication and determination shown by Elsha. How she had NEVER missed a day of school from her first day of Kindergarten until graduation. He told how her smile would brighten up the hallways and classrooms and how she had been Homecoming and Prom Queen and how the boys would pick her up in their arms and have her dance every single dance. He told of her accomplishment of NEVER getting anything below an “A” – EVER, and the many scholarships she was award as a Sterling Scholar. He told of her artwork (she doesn’t have the strength to form letters into words with a pencil, but she can paint with sweeping brush strokes and is an amazing artist). He told of the love the other students have for her and how the money they raised for the MD Telethon was the third highest amount in the nation.
I started to feel the tears as I looked at her tiny little body crumpled up and slouched over to the side of her chair as the speaker continued. They started streaming down my face as soon as the boy at the microphone voice started to crack.
I got my shit together as they began handing out diplomas to the 600 students. It helped watching some of the things the goofy kids did as they walked across the stage. Damn they are funny! The water works started up again (told you I am a baby) when the entire Events Center (20,000+ people) gave a standing ovation as Elsha’s mother wheeled her across the stage to receive her diploma. By now, my makeup is gone and my eyes are red.
Fast forward through the rest of the student’s walk across the stage. By now, the graduates are noisy and read to get the show over with so they can party. The principle of the school then stood up to talk. He began telling the audience about Elsha’s mom. Because Elsha does not have the muscle strength to hold a pencil to write, her mother has sat next to her, in every class, all day, every day (perfect attendance), since the first day of Kindergarten, transcribing all of Elsha’s school work onto paper. She was always there as Elsha attended school activities and all those other things “normal” kids do, including dates (they would double date, Elsha, her date, her mom, and dad). The principle told how the mother has devoted her entire life to her daughter. It was the most touching example of unconditional love that I have ever witnessed.
The principle then had to take more than a minute to stop crying long enough to finish. By now, the entire stadium is silent and most in tears. Needless to say, I have given up trying to hold it in. Shit, it is making me cry right now as I think about it.
When he was finally able to speak again after a few failed attempts, he brought the mother up on stage placed a cap and gown on her and presented her with an honorary diploma. Someone in the audience screamed out “WE LOVE YOU MAMA . . .(I forget the last name)!!!” Those on stage then came over and wrapped their arms around her. The standing ovation went on for at least 3 minutes.
It was amazing.
