Celebrations in Polk County

It was a great weekend for the Millard Family. On a Mother's Day that started out rainy but cleared up just in time for the ceremony, our son Drew graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill along with about 6,000 of his closest friends. Juliet's daughter Adriana also graduated from Bob Jones University, making it a proud time for Millard & Company.

Each individual graduation is a big "mission accomplished" moment for an entire family -- in Drew's case, nine family members were there to share in it -- but it is also a daunting time of closure and uncertainty for the graduate.

Drew told me that, after four years of college, the most important thing he has learned is that he knows nothing. It seems to me that such a realization may be the best possible outcome of a quality education. If properly viewed, it can lead to a healthy humility and a determination to make a mark on the world in spite of any odds.

Watching the ceremony, seeing the camaraderie between such a large group of young people, and witnessing the rituals and traditions, one is struck by the feeling that each of these new adults, like those of us who have gone before and others who will follow generations hence, is a part of the long procession of history. It sort of puts our everyday endeavors into perspective.

This is the only shot we will get at this week, so let's make the most of it!

-Andy