Nothing says spring like graduations and Mother’s Day. Both are worthy causes for celebration beyond the arrival of when commencements occur and the second weekend in May arrives.
They are such great occasions that when we can combine both, it makes the month of May that much more special. What mother would dispute that one of the best Mother’s Day gifts she can receive from her child is to see him or her walk across the stage and get a high school diploma or college degree? Not many.
If I were a mom, I’d be pretty pumped at this time of year.
Thousands of area mothers are experiencing this gift with commencements wrapping up and some slated for this weekend (Note: CSB Commencement is May 12).
It’s funny, even though Mother’s Day is two days away, all I can think about is this time next year. That’s the year I am waiting for with anticipation.
Why is 2013 so important to me? I’ll tell you.
That’s the year I get to reverse roles with my mother, sit in the crowd and applaud and cry as her name is called. I get to help her put on her cap and gown and make sure she has comfortable shoes. I get to remind family members to be on time for once because they will be left at home if they are not ready to leave early enough to get a good seat at the ceremony.
I get to see my mother graduate from college and obtain a four-year degree. My mother, a native of Benham, Ken., graduated from Cleveland Heights High School in Ohio and has an associate degree from Remington College. My younger sister, Beverly, and I were proud then but this time it feels different. It feels as if she is being inducted into a special society of B.A. holders.
She takes one class at a time because she also works full time. Sometimes, I don’t know how she does it. When I was an undergraduate, school was my job. The same was true when I went to graduate school. Time seems scarce and every minute counts.
I know my mother is not alone in her dedication. However, I hear how tired her voice is after a 40-plus hour work week when she still has papers to write and exams to study for.
I hear how happy she is while playing with her granddaughter, who gives the term night owl a new meaning, up at 11 p.m. when she has to start work at 7:30 a.m. the next day, not to mention an evening class that ends at 9:30 p.m. the next evening. She always muscles through the fatigue that follows the next day.
I talk to my mother just about every day. When we miss a few days, it feels like a week.
What can I say? We really are that close.
We sometimes scare people with our similarities as often we say the same things at the same time. This happens even when I go back home to Ohio to visit after months of being away. We get a real kick out of it. It really shouldn’t surprise many; after all, I am named after her.
My mother’s name is Leiza. I’m TaLeiza. My grandmother, who named me, hit the nail on the head as I am my mother’s daughter (sorry for the cliché). It is what it is.
Family is important to me, and I’ve always been what they call a “Mama’s Girl.” And even though I’m the oldest of two, my younger sister still teases me about that.
Well, this time next year, she can tease all she wants because I’ll be in the front row cheering for a woman who has always cheered for me.
