Friday, May 9, 2008

As we go on, we remember...

I walked through campus today around 9 in the morning, going to print and turn in my final paper of the semester. CU is lucky to be located in Boulder; all graduation ceremonies can be scheduled in outdoor venues because it's sunny everyday.

I had forgotten that it was graduation day, and the major university-wide ceremony happened to begin at 9 o'clock. It was held at the stadium, which I pass on the way to my building. I watched all of the people hustling and bustling. Merchants were selling flowers and fresh leis. Students in full garb were running madly to their gates. Colorado Avenue looked as though it were hosting a yacht club convention (CU is known for its white privilege).

Pomp and circumstance was echoing from the stadium sound system. The sun was shining, but it was still cool. The morning chill had not yet burned off.

Life is forever passing. Milestones are reached every single day. It goes by rapidly. How did I end up here? I remember so well my first day of middle school, not so well my first day of elementary school. I didn't go to kindergarten. Here I am at nearly 23. My god, a quarter of my life--the slowest passing one at that--has gone by. There is no stopping, or even slowing it. And so, as incredibly cheesy as this is about to get, I really am reminded of that wise sage, Gandalf from the Lord of the Rings when he says "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us." And that is something we all share.

1 comment:

Pat said...

This may sound incredibly nerdy, but this reminds me of a scene from one of the Star Trek movies. In it, they find this group of people living out in the middle of space on this planet, and one person on this planet had discovered how to slow down time to live in the "perfect moment." Sometimes I wish I could do that.