While I don’t have anyone in my immediate family graduating this year I have been to my fair share of graduations this year. Last night I was at one for a local charter school and it brought back so many memories of my high school graduation–all the excitement and uncertainty and dreaming, mostly the dreaming.

One speaker. Dr. Rose Wan-Mui Chu, grew up in Malaysia and is now the Assistant Commissioner for the Minnesota Department of Educaion. She talked about how she always wanted to “make a difference in education.” She asked the students what they thought the purpose of education was. She gave them an opportunity to talk amongst themselves. They came back with answers like “to make money,” “to be successful,” and “to pursue happiness.”

However Dr. Rose urged the students to ask, “what is the mission in your life?” and to “hold true to a calling.”

For me mothering was always my calling, though I had times that I doubted it. I also always thought I would be a writer. I just never thought I would be writing about my experiences farming and camping. I kinda suspected that mothering would be a life work, but I had no idea what my calling of being a mother would lead me to. Along the way I have changed and grown so much.

 So to all the graduates out there I would add that sometimes our life surprises us, sometimes it takes us along for the ride. But there are 2 things that will always make a difference in our lives, our character and our relationships.