As I was riding by Memorial Field a few minutes ago, I saw that it was graduation night for Holmes County High School. Counting my own and those of my children, some nieces and nephews, and 15 years as the principal, I must have attended 20 or of these nights.

This night is always full of excitement for the graduates and their families as the seniors get ready to set off on new life experiences and adventures. They will toss their hats in the air and celebrate this new beginning with anticipation of the years ahead. In many respects they are like the baby birds of spring taking that first leap into the wild blue yonder, not really sure where their wings will take them but knowing they are ready to just go. Here is wishing good luck and happy trails to all of this year’s graduates.

On another quick note, I could not help but notice the clouds in the sky as I drove by the stadium and feeling a little touch of pain for principal Mickey Hudson and his senior sponsors. Will the rain hold off? Will it rain half way through the ceremony? Should we have moved it to the gym? What did the radar show at 2:00, at 4:00, at 6:00, at 30 minutes before the start of the ceremony?

All I can say is been there and done that several times. Moved some to the gym and it did not rain a drop in spite of best forecast from national weather service. Did not move some and had rain show up during the ceremony. Had times when there was not a cloud in the sky at 4:00 and rain drops as big as your thumb pouring down at 6:30.  One time I remember riding through town in the back of a pickup truck, holding on to the PA system and other items with rain so hard you could hardly see at about 7:00. Got my clothes soaking wet to the skin an did not have time to get home and get dry duds on. Did graduation while every stitch on me was soaking wet except my gown.

And without a doubt, in every one of these situations, some genius always thought “How can that school principal and the people who work there be so stupid? They should have done it in the other place.”

So, for Mr. Hudson and the rest of the staff ,the graduates and their families, I hope the rain holds off and the graduation ceremony is wonderful.