High school graduation. Remember that? The feelings of uncertainty, excitement, freedom, anticipation all jambled up inside.

This weekend I watched my nephew graduate from my old high school. I remember the day he was born, six weeks  early, frail and had to be hospitalized for a month because of his underdeveloped lungs. He was always a pensive soul and quiet, but you could hear the wheels whirring inside. (I’ve blogged about him before here.)

Now he’s 5 foot 9 inches tall and a muscular 160 pounds with a chiseled jaw to boot. At his graduation party, I looked around at all the high schoolers with their youthful exuberance. (Damn. When did I get old?)

I watched them, wanting to impart some kind of knowledge, or words of wisdom, to save them from some of my pitfalls. But really, we need those pitfalls, don’t we? It’s clichéd but true: It builds character.

Like all graduation speeches, the ones at his ceremony had themes of the importance of following your passion. That made me think about how many of my friends truly followed their dreams.  Not many.

But then some hit a bump in the road. They became mothers and quit their jobs. Despite working late nights and going the extra mile, they were “downsized” in the recession.  Or they were just so miserable working for The Man, they quit.

Only after they got off the career treadmill did they find time to sit down and listen to themselves, recalibrate their compass to focus on doing what they really wanted. And only then did they find themselves to be happy or at the very least a step closer to it.

For my nephew and his graduating friends,  a road of endless opportunities lie ahead. I’m so excited to watch their lives unfold. It’s funny, you have this overwhelming sense of pride seeing them in their gowns and square hats. You’re proud of what they’ve done and already proud of what they might do.

They’re getting ready to go off into the great big world and all you want for them is to be happy, healthy citizens of the Earth. So Adrian, and all your little friends, enjoy the road and its potholes and honestly believe us when we say follow your dreams.

*Photos by Hubby, Ted Hopkins and Daddy-O.