Graduations

By Susan

Last night my younger daughter graduated from sixth grade, and this morning, my older daughter is taking the last of her finals to wrap up her freshman year of high school.

It's been a year full of adversity for both of them, in very different ways. My eldest is tremendously academically focused. This is the first year that she's been truly challenged by her schedule, and she's survived the combination of all Pre-AP classes and the social pressures of navigating an extremely large high school with only a few completely overwhelming and stressful breakdowns hiccups.

My sixth grader went through changes of a different kind this year. She learned to play to guitar. She completed two seasons of mountain bike racing in both Texas and Louisiana. She dealt with getting out from under her older sister's shadow, and she learned to stand up for herself amidst "girl drama" and how to handle bullies and social pressures with grace and kindness.

As adults, we don't mark our years by the school calendar, or take the time to reflect on our successes and failure for the previous twelve-month period. We don't get a report card to measure our worth, or an awards' night to dress up for.  There is no graduation.

The adversity is there, and the successes are, as well. We have to deal with feeling in over our head, or learning to stand for ourselves, too. Taking the time to recognize what we've been through and acknowledge our own growth is up to us and us alone.

So on this graduation weekend, I suggest we all take the time to pat ourselves on the back for what we've written this year. Our pages count as it's increased, and the number of pages we've edited out. Our acceptances and our rejections. Even the successes of our friends—especially the successes of our friends. After all, writing isn't a competitive sport. We all are in this together, even if we don't get to walk across a stage and accept a diploma.

Happy Graduation!

Bookgifting

By Pamela

Bookgifting--finding the perfect book for someone special.

It might not be an actual thing, but for me, it is. And since Mother's Day is six days away and kids are graduating left and right, I thought I'd throw some ideas out there for gifts.

I've been on a bit of a Kelly Corrigan bender ever since watching her TED talk on literacy. Fortunately for me, I found TWO of her titles already on my shelf--gifts from my sister that I hadn't yet read. In a text two weeks ago, same sister announced Kelly's latest book was on its way to me. (No, you can't have my sister--she's mine!) So, in a week's time I read: Glitter and Glue, The Middle Place and LIFT, all by Kelly Corrigan.

I'd recommend them all as Mother's Day gifts but, because not everyone's tastes are the same, let me say: Glitter and Glue is great for a younger mom or any woman who appreciates a grown-up's view on how she was mothered. The Middle Place is the perfect title for someone who's gone through a struggle with cancer--her own or with someone she loves. In Kelly's case, she was battling breast cancer during her father's recurrence of bladder cancer--while they lived on opposite coasts. LIFT is a very short book (I read it one morning before church) and is a heartfelt letter to her two daughters--great for a mom who's not a big reader OR even if she is and would love a book to make her laugh and cry. I've already given LIFT to two dear friends who both lost teenagers. That's all I'm saying about it here.

If your mom (or a mom you love) lives by the credo: I brake for yard sales, then this book by Lara Spencer is a must. I first wondered what she could possibly teach me that I didn't already know (having visited my share of tag sales, estate sales and thrift stores), but I learned a lot of insider secrets from reading this book. (I loaned mine out, too, and can't remember who has my copy, so I probably need a new one--it's that good!)

For an older mom--perhaps your own--I'd recommend Home by Julie Andrews. I'm reading this now for the book club I run at a retirement home and had purchased the audio version for my mother last year. (It's read by Julie Andrews.) The book begins at Ms. Andrews' childhood and ends right as she gets her first break in the role of Mary Poppins. It's readily available in large print, too, so that makes it a good gift for an older mom or grandmother. Plus it's a wonderful story about an international treasure.

A few books make the grade as both good for moms as well as grads, in my opinion. Last year I purchased several Listography books as graduation gifts and later wished I'd snagged one for myself. They come in a variety of subjects. If you're in doubt as to which would be most fitting, I'd recommend My Future Listography: All I hope to do in lists for graduates.Think of it as a bucket list in overdrive. There are also Listography titles for parents, music fans, travelers and readers, too, which could be great for Mom. I love them all.

For the male graduate, I can't recommend Tony Dungy's Uncommon: Finding Your Path to Significance enough. I read the first few chapters of this book, but my younger son is reading it and has been known to bring up parts of it in conversation with me--proof it's making an impact. What struck me as I read the beginning of it was: Wow! I wish my husband would read this. In fact, I wish every man would read this. Tony Dungy is a former Super Bowl-winning coach whose life now is about sharing "what it means to be a man of significance in a culture that is offering young men few positive role models."

Finally, if you need a book for anyone on your gift list--young or old, male or female--a friend recently gave me Jesus Calling, a daily devotional I now keep by my bedside. It's a handsome leather-bound small book that can easily be tucked into a handbag or portfolio, one that can bring the reader great comfort in good times and bad.

Enjoy Bookgifting with me, won't you? And while you're at it, please support your local bookseller and let them know a good book you've read recently, so they can pass that information along to their customers.