Sunday, May 20, 2012

so many stories

since last writing
so many stories
I could not sit myself down to reflect
it was all about getting through
getting focused
trying to make things work
even now, I struggle with the words of it all
because I do not want to miss the opportunity
to share it
yet the very act of trying to "capture" the dreams
of things past
has its almost-pain...
no words are there enough
in-those-moments-enough

if I had to distill it all into a handful of symbols on a page
I would gently pick up the cards written
by two sons
to each other
their graduation cards that Bryan signed for Brandon
and Brandon signed for Bryan

what they said to each other was more important
than all the speeches we have heard
at all the ceremonies
of a lifetime

it has been such an incredibly meaningful time
so unbelievably busy to the point
of a blur
there were piles of papers on tables all over the place
and we just did our best to keep on top of what
needed to be done next
there were times when it felt
like running the bases
sliding into most of them
and the score didn't matter
just to keep playing
get up to bat
and swing away

baseball has never been my game
watching
The Rookie today, guess that affected the vocab

Brandon is a college graduate
Bryan is a high school graduate
they are moving forward
with so much hope and support
and I am grateful to so many people
who shared this time with us in many ways

there are shiny balloons in the house
there are streamers and more balloons outside for one more night
and there are photos to testify to the fact that
this has all been "real"
even though I still wake up in the morning
and wonder
is it true?
yes, we lived this together

5-12-12 Brandon graduated from the University of Missouri
with a Bachelor of Health Science degree
5-19-12 Bryan graduated from David H. Hickman High School
and is enrolled at Columbia College
5-16-12 they celebrated their 22nd and 18th birthdays

watching 409 students with Brandon
and 558 students with Bryan
was so moving

and they all move forward in their lives
as do I
with a sense of happy quiet warmth
and when I remember those moments
of standing up and cheering with my whole self
for their accomplishments past
and especially for their futures ahead
I am honored to call them
my sons

"I am such a lucky Mom" I have said that countless times
"I am such a lucky boy" I have heard countless times
from two men
now

4 comments:

  1. Gloria - what an incredible week for your family!!! A college graduation and a high school graduation - and two birthdays. Amazing! I find it hard to believe "the boys" have participated in these graduations, simply because I still picture them as the grade school kids they were when we first "met" ten years ago. :o)

    I'm so proud of your family as a whole. Of each and every one of you. And I'm particularly proud of you, dear Sis. I know you've fought like h*ll to see these milestones in your sons' lives, so I'm applauding you and am sending you the biggest congratulatory hug you can imagine. Just imagine what you'll all get to do next! I know you'll all share much more love and laughter...

    LOVE YOU.

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  2. What thrilling news! I can't imagine trying to handle all that happiness in just 7 short days!! :)

    The thing I was most delighted to read about, however, was that Bryan is enrolled in Columbia College - my jaw literally dropped when I saw that!! How did it happen??! No matter how it happened, I am so thrilled for him - and you!!

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  3. Dear Gloria,
    Please excuse this unconventional way to contact you but I have tried several other avenues to no avail. I am looking for one "Gloria Page" who was in Chicago 29 years ago. That person wrote the first entry in the journal I kept for five months on the road hitchhiking. It was a very positive message with a little drawing of a four winds symbol.
    I am now in the process of writing about that journey, and I would be very interested in your input into the book if possible.
    If I have the wrong person, I apologize - especially if you have already received a forwarded letter sent to North Light Books. I would like to request that you contact me either way at peterdavidwilder@gmail.com so I will know and stop trying to reach you if I have it wrong. But if You are the "right Gloria" I would be very interested in having you do the cover art for the book.
    Thank you for your time. Peace and blessings.
    Peter David Wilder

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