Commencement, Part II

This morning I had the privilege of volunteering at my college's GED/High School Completion commencement ceremony. While I thoroughly enjoy all graduations, I think this one is special because the graduates have persevered despite the adversities they have faced.

The excitement and pride in the room was palpable as family and friends were there to cheer on their loved ones who had accomplished something that at one time must have seemed out of reach. Two of the students had the opportunity to speak about their personal journeys and both young men told of the hardships they had faced. From homelessness to addiction, from raising families to going to school while working, their struggles made their accomplishments all the sweeter.

Another highlight of the ceremony was a performance by the African Gospel Acappella, a group of four men from the African country of Liberia. Each of the men is blind and have survived civil war and other hardships. One of the men in the group received his GED and walked in the ceremony, and another, having received his GED in 2007, just received his associate's degree at our commencement on Thursday.

As I sat in the back of the room, at times with tears in my eyes, what struck me most about all gathered was that what we shared was a feeling of hope. No matter the challenge or the dream, with determination, we can know that there is hope for a better tomorrow.