Nothing cheap about the thrill of a hard-earned diploma

By Lee Cataluna
Advertiser Staff Writer

I have this fear that my name is circulating around town on a list of people who will work for cheap. Or free.

More exactly, a list of people who will give a speech for cheap. Or free. (Jeremy Harris gotta be on that list, I figga'.)

I was asked to speak at five graduation ceremonies this year.

I said yes to all five invitations.

And though I realize what an honor it is to be asked, I still have my suspicions about that list.

What has weighed more on my mind, though, is why I agreed to all five, and further, why I promised myself that I would write a different speech for each one.

Talk about tantaran.

But this week, it all made sense to me. It came together in a rush of emotion, a jolt of pure energy.

My five speaking engagements include a public high school, a private high school, a community college, a technical school and an adult education program.

The commencement ceremony for the O'ahu Community School for Adults was Wednesday night. More than 400 students from adult schools around the island got their diplomas.

I stood on the stage at the Blaisdell Concert Hall and looked out into the sea of faces. There were mothers-to-be in their late teens and early 20s. There were big, swaggering men in their 30s and 40s. There were people who looked like they've seen every hard time life can dish out. There were fresh, wide eyes that seemed surprised to have made it. There was a woman in her 70s, a grandmother, wearing a cap and gown.

All of them became high school graduates that night.

And they were all so proud.

I got to be in the reception line as each student came to the stage to get a diploma. I had the opportunity to shake every graduate's hand, look into each person's eyes and give each my congratulations.

It was a powerful reminder of what it means to reach a long-standing goal, of the exhilaration of knowing hard work paid off. For some of the graduates, it seemed as though they never believed in themselves until that night, but that they'd never doubt again.

Though none of the graduates stood up to share their stories, you could read it all in their shining, tear-streaked faces. To touch each graduate's hand was overwhelming. Their pride, their joy just about jumped off their skin like an electric current.

I had forgotten what an amazing experience it is to witness another's triumph, how it lifts your spirit as if it were your victory as well.

That's the real beauty of graduation ceremonies, and as I stood on that stage and shook all those proud and sweaty hands, I was glad I had four more to look forward to.

Lee Cataluna's column runs Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Her e-mail address is lcataluna@honoluluadvertiser.com.