I sit patiently for a moment.
The cool air hits my skin,
hair raises and my arms are covered in goose bumps.
Through the great stained glass window, the sun shines through on a glorious Saturday morning.
The air is audible with camera clicks and names being called.
As I listen to the names,
Memories come rushing in.
The first six years,
There I built character,
learned colors, numbers and ABC’s.
The next three prepared me,
for what would be the hardest four.
The four that went by the fastest.
As I sit in my pew waiting,
I notice mothers crying,
tears run down their cheeks.
Fathers sit with an emotionless, cold gaze.
I wait for this moment,
I worked twelve hard years for this,
sat through 60 minutes of speeches,
and listened to 510 names before me.
Finally my pew stands up,
We take the walk that many have taken before us.
My name is announced as I walk across stage.
I am handed a sheet of paper,
a sheet of paper with powerful words.
As we arrive at our pew, we all sit.
10 more left, we grow restless.
5 more to go, we squirm and wiggle.
Then on stage the senior class president announces we may turn our tassels.
The sanctuary erupts in applause and cheers.
It is then I realize that this is the moment I had been waiting for.