My favorite moment of the day

Graduation this morning. Some very wonderful people had worked and decorated and prepared and organized--fine, fine parents who served the several hundred that were there. There was pomp and circumstance, picture posters of memories and awards and lots of people and talking and crying and sharing with other moms and dads whose children graduated.

But I was thinking, if you could take away all the external performance, and fancy dresses and desire to live up to expectations and see hearts,

and the years of love shared and burdens born and prayers lifted up and birthdays celebrated  and tears comforted for all the years of  all the kids who graduated, you would see love and faith and sacrifice and big mother and father hearts---the real things that matter.

My favorite moment of the day was sitting on Joy's bed with her, sharing dreams and hearts and secrets after we got home from lunch and before we go to a friend's graduation party--seeing my beautiful, gentle, grown up daughter and hearing her heart and sharing mine. This was my favorite moment. Time alone together. Being close. Sharing love.

This is what I will miss--sharing life--the other stuff is just frosting on the cake but not the real meat of life.

Off to celebrate at another party.