Growing Up and Moving On

I sat by myself in my classroom, completely exasperated with all those folks who refused to wear a mask over the last 15 months. Your refusal to acknowledge the shark in the deep end of the pool prolonged the pandemic and changed our way of living.

We didn’t lose as much as a lot of families. Other kids missed proms and graduations and sports seasons. Weddings rescheduled. Funerals isolated. Anniversaries unobserved. We missed a school assembly. It was not the end of the world.

That said, I couldn’t help but succumb to the darkness and the disappointment.

Sophia and the Vienna tribe celebrated the end of their elementary school journey with the 5th grade recognition assembly. We could not attend. No parents. No families. The kids and their teachers. The administration.

My classroom was dark and the door was locked. I cried and cried and cried. Heartbreak may be too dramatic, but it felt a lot like an achy-breaky heart.

I routinely tell Sophia, “remember who you are.”

Vikki says I have a gift for identifying obscure connections between myself and fictional characters.

Probably true.

Take Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, for example. Dumbledore and I think similarly about a great many things. I appreciate his ability to turn a phrase.

As the man said, “being me, has its privileges.”

To borrow a phrase, “Sophia, being you has its privileges.”

Being Vikki’s daughter has its privileges.

Being Jeffrey’s girl has its privileges.

Being Margaret’s grandchild has its privileges.

Being you also comes with enormous responsibility.

The girl is probably weary of hearing my daily proclamations about acting like a lady and speaking kindly and dressing appropriately and on and on and on.

I can’t help myself. I don’t worry about grades or test scores. Behavior and integrity and responsibility and grace and love are everything.

I know she is tired of the sermons and the stories and the expectations. I would be, if I were her.

I watched the Vienna Elementary 5th grade recognition assembly on YouTube. (Thank you to whomever arranged that.)

I was an emotional wreck from the beginning. I saw her walk through the door and tears were rolling.

First thing I noticed, Sophia is tall. I see her every day, so it hadn’t really hit me. Tall youngin’. Dadgum.

White dress. Black sweater. She is beautiful. (You wouldn’t think it to watch her eat tacos, but that’s a work in progress.) She looked every bit the lady and princess she will be.

Individual awards.

The Positive Role Model award for 2021 goes to Sophia Griffin.

I called Vikki. I think all Vikki heard was a blubbering cacophony of snot and tears.

It’s one thing to talk about doing the right thing. Preaching and teaching will only do so much. Guide the horse to water and hope they drink deeply.

It’s something else when the adults who watch and teach and guide and encourage your child recognize the effort and willingness to be a good person.

Responsibility matters.

Kindness counts.

Words are powerful.

Effort makes all the difference.

It wasn’t Jeffrey and Vikki thundering about the virtues of life.

It was the influence of Catherine Davis, Julie Doub, Meghan Wham, Alan Goldenstein, Melissa Safrit, Kristen Trivitte and Latoya Cockerl.

It was Lee Koch and Lisa Davis and Marie Pierce.

It was Shannon Ivester, Hallie Foster, Whitney Warlick, Shaun Howe, Tammy Hancock, Tyler Foster and Jill Daniels.

And, of course, the ever-present light of Ms. Lisa and Emily Roobull-Rewbewl-Ruuboll-Ruebel.

These people celebrated our daughter.

These people recognized that Sophia Griffin is becoming a lady.

These people.

Thank you.

You are loved.

Thank you for loving our daughter.

Thank you for teaching our girl.

We’re ever grateful.

Sophia, what you do matters. Remember who you are. We are proud of you. Well done. We love you.