I guess I've been in a nostalgic mood lately. Last time I talked about the fact that I've been out of school for a year. This time I think back a bit further, to 8th grade graduation, 10 years ago. Tonight was Gethsemane's 8th grade graduation. I got home from work, and decided to go watch. It sounds like their class was very similar to my 8th grade class. The class that was well known by all the faculty as being difficult, yet high achieving and very talented.

I think for me, and probably the same for these kids, the 10 years after 8th grade are the most transforming in your life. Up until that point, things stayed pretty much the same. But afterwards, you go from being very dependant on your parents for everything, through high school, where you slowly pull away and then to college where you stumble through life on your own until hopefully by graduation of college you've got the whole taking responsibility for hthings down. Then comes getting a job (at least, for most) - where you get to now learn how to manage your finances, insurances, etc. Granted, there's the whole starting a family thing, but I don't see that as being quite the same level of change. Time will have to prove me wrong.

Another interesting thing, 10 years ago we were at war in Iraq. I distinctly remember my teacher at the time telling us that we needed to wake up to the fact that war could make a major impact on our lives. What if the war was still going on when we turned 18, and I was drafted? That first war ended before I finish 8th grade, as I recall, however I wonder if I'd be working where I am today had it not been for that war. Go figure.

I felt sad watching these kids graduate. Partially because I know what it feels like to move on, and how many great things they'll have to leave behind. Also partly becaues I see how tight their bond is, and I remember what it was like to have that group of people who really know you really well, and I miss that.