May First

The first weekend of May holds many promises, meanings and opportunities depending on what your schedule allows. So many activities available for participation - the Music Fest on the river, parties and festivals, Fair on the Square... on and on. And always the promise (threat) of rain. It wouldn't be May without a mire of mud for those folks who go to the park along the River.

The rain held off, thank goodness, for the ladies of the club on Tuesday. They were able to come, enjoy and depart without a drop of 'interference' from the sky. I was so relieved! Our special guest speaker was a rep from Memphis in May, who opened a whole new world for us in describing the country and customs of the "honored Country" for this year's festival. Chile (pronounced Chil a) is not a familiar country for most of us, and we all learned a lot from our delightful speaker.

The school year is winding down fast with graduation ceremonies scheduled all over the month of May all over the area. The seniors, high school and college, are counting the days until "it" happens... that magical event that marks the transition from one world into another, be it college or 'the real world'. I remember my own high school graduation with mixed emotions still (and yes, I can remember that far back... !). Sadness over leaving the well-known and very comfortable small-town world where everyone knew everyone else and cared about them, and excitement over going forward into the 'unknown'. I think I was not the only graduate who shed a few tears that week.

Looking back, I wonder if it were to be 'done over' would anything change? Probably not. The fun and excitement of 'being a senior' was enough to carry us all through the month of May that year. The Senior Play, the Senior Prom, graduation parties given by various parents for various groups, and then the actual Baccalaureate Service and the Commencement ceremony. Awards were announced at graduation in those days, and we all held our breath waiting to see who received what honor, scholarship, award or whatever. Then the diploma scrolls were handed out... and the recessional accomplished to the cheers of the seniors and the audience alike.

All five of our children graduated from the same school that I did, and each year the classes got bigger and bigger - growing as the town population expanded. By the time our granddaughter reached that pinnacle, the Commencement Exercises were held at the convention center in Memphis. The classes had outgrown any facility in our town. I think some of our old 'magic' got lost in the shuffle, too.