David's Graduation - Wofford Class of 2011

Last weekend David IV graduated from Wofford College. It was an amazing weekend full of festivities and memories and tears and laughter. It was a weekend of looking back and looking forward.

The campus was beautiful with the magnolias blooming and the sun shining and the bells tolling. The baccalaureate and the commencement services were held outside on the lawn in front of Old Main - the icon of Wofford College.

A Wofford tradition is for members of the graduating class 50 years prior to serve as escorts for the current class. So, members of the Wofford Class of 1961 were in attendance to support and encourage the Class of 2011. This is a neat tradition because while graduation is the ending of one phase of life it is the beginning of another and the presence of those who have gone before is like an anchor in a sea of change.

At the baccalaureate, Chaplain Ron Robinson spoke to the Classes of 1961 and 2011. He mentioned many of the trials and tribulations and events that the Class of 1961 experienced. The Civil Rights Act had not yet been passed but the Freedom Riders were riding, there were no women at Wofford, John Kennedy was dealing with Cuba, the Berlin Wall was just being built, the Soviets were already in space and Elvis and Chubby Checker were rock stars.

The chaplain went on to mention the Class of 2011 experience. Like Space Shuttles and social networking and 9/11 and the Blackeyed Peas.

He told the Class of 2011 that the future is in their hands, but that we were not just going to dump all the world's problems on them. The presence of the Class of 61 was to reinforce the message of continuity - of classes and generations working together and supporting each other. He told the Class of 2011 that while this is a major milestone in their lives, they will not be alone.

And then to reinforce that message, the Wofford Goldtones sang a beautiful and harmonius rendition of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Pie Jesu. It was sung in Latin but the feeling of that song is so moving and restful. "O Sweet Jesus, O Sweet Jesus grant them peace".

After baccaluareate Susan and George had organized a dinner for the four roommates and families and then everyone headed off to the Senior Class Party. The band was versatile and high energy and so was the big crowd. One minute David and I were dancing to Carolina Beach music and the next minute I was surrounded by both of my sons and several of their friends doing the cupid shuffle. No doubt a good time was had by all.

Sunday Morning Commencement began at 9:30 am. I had been anticipating who the commencement speaker might be and hoping it wouldn't be someone with a long boring speech. I was not disappointed. Wofford President Benjamin B. Dunlap eloquently welcomed the graduates and their families and then introduced Henry St. Clair Fredericks. Otherwise known as Taj Mahal - world renown roots and blues musician and someone I had listened to since my own college days. Needless to say I was blown away.

Taj began his commencement address by speaking directly to the graduates. He said that they all will have many kinds of opportunities in life and will have to make many decisions on paths to choose. Taj said, "before you act the main thing is to hold each opportunity up to the yardstick of humanity and see if they measure up". If a particular opportunity doesn't measure up to the yardstick of humanity then you might want to pass but if it does measure up then give it all you've got.

And then he walked off stage. It was a very short speech. But he came back on stage with his guitar and sang the rest of his message. He sang about Sweet Jesus and about Fishin'. Mama going fishin', daddy going fishin', baby going fishin' too. What he was really singing about was relationships. And how building relationships - with family, with faith, with all of humanity - is the most important opportunity of all.

And seeing the relationships that have been built are what I loved most about experiencing the Wofford graduation weekend. David has developed so many close, close friends during his four years at Wofford. This was evident all along, but even more so in the exchange of handshakes, smiles, hugs, tears and love that we witnessed between David and his classmates. And Wofford faculty and staff. Even with a security guard who remembered David giving her some cream cheese and olives during freshman year. He called it "networking Grandpa style".

And David IV hasn't been selfish with these relationships. He has given David III, Jay, and me the opportunity to make good friends too.

After commencement, Susan arranged for the tailgate crowd to have lunch together and then Bob poetically summed up the tailgate crowd's time together. Then Susan and Bob presented each family with a cd of tailgate music reminding us that maybe we hadn't heard ALL of the songs yet. They had a picture of the senior football players on the CD. David was unfortunately in the hospital on the day the senior picture had been taken and I loved that Susan and Bob had thoughtfully photoshopped him into the pic.

We are so proud of David and of the Class of 2011. And we are very thankful that he shared so much of his experience with us. We can each look forward with the peace and confidence that whatever the future holds we are not alone.

"We have shared four years together, years we will never forget, and we hope this short journey has made us all a little better. We wish you Godspeed and we wish you good luck. But most of all we wish you peace." Joe Paterno, 1973 Commencement Speech