The class born on the new millennium
Tyler John Davis was 7 years old when he decided to write a book. He sat on the lap of his grandfather, who he calls Bip, to reach the computer keyboard. Carefully, his pointer finger found the right keys and a rousing tale of dragons and knights and a princess emerged.
When younger brother Scotty poked into the room to see what was going on, Ty got distracted. “Scotty! You just made the words go right out of my head!” he scolded.
Ty is 18 now, and Scotty 15, but Bip and I still quote him when we can’t remember something — oh, the words just went right out of my head!
Tuesday night words and memories, sights and sounds, whirled as Ty’s family watched him graduate from Bethel High School. Like all the parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles and friends of the 194 graduates that night — and across high school graduations everywhere — we were incredibly proud.
Milestone events tug memories up and soon you’re marveling that the little tow-headed kid (in our case) who was always telling me how to drive from his carseat in the back (“Red light, Mimi, stop!”) is now — suddenly, it seems — tall, handsome and beaming in his maroon cap and gown.
His dad, Scott, in a moving toast later at dinner recalled walking loops around the room to get baby Ty to fall asleep. That wiggly infant soon grew and Scott, a high school football star, spoke of his delight when Tyler showed interest in football. A talented athlete who worked hard, Ty was co-captain of the team his senior year and a quarterback.
At the graduation ceremony, we also clapped and cheered for his football and track teammates and friends who played baseball together since they could hold a bat. The Wildcats baseball team won the South-West Conference championship this season, so there’s been lots of cheering.
The Class of 2018 got through snow days, a macroburst, and a walkout (in solidarity with Parkland, Florida, students after the mass shooting at the high school) to reach their graduation day, Principal Chris Troetti noted in his remarks. He referenced “The Four Agreements,” by Don Miguel Ruiz, based on ancient Toltec wisdom and subtitled “A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom.”
“We live in a world where ugliness and hate seem to run rampant. Scandal, violence and conflict dominate the headlines, and unfortunately, too many of us have had personal experiences that mirror the news,” Troetti said. “Peace and hope may balance the nega- tivity that exists, but it is not easy. It is not easy to live with integrity, to always take the high road, to serve others while also caring for yourself. These are not easy, but they are possible, and critical to our success as individuals and for our collective future. ...
“Through our word, we have both creative and destructive capabilities. How we choose to use that power means everything. ... Will you use this power for love, gratitude, and acceptance, or for anger, jealousy, blame and guilt? Will you use your words with intention, precision and purpose, or will your language deteriorate to superficial and mean-spirited gossip? ...
“As with executing a particular play on the sports field or choosing a card to accompany a loved one’s gift, intentionality is paramount: deliberately speaking, listening, and thinking with purpose and positivity.”
It’s a different world from when the Class of 2018 was born at the dawn of a new millennium — the year before 9/11. This is a serious class for challenging times; many already have registered to vote.
Over time, other milestones will overshadow their high school graduation.
But Tuesday night was about a bright future and as the new graduates threw their caps into the air, the exuberance of youth made us all giddy.