05/19/2025
The photographer surprisingly and thankfully captured this picture of me at this year's commencement ceremony at the NOVA Community College.
I wanted to go to commencement this year to be there for students (I've done it before), but this time in my doctoral gown. I was asked to participate as a faculty marshal, but I declined this honor because I didn't want a working position (so I thought).
During the commencement, I took a break. As I was about to reenter the arena, I was in the location that students would exit after the ceremony. Some of them were leaving early. These students didn't get the celebratory send off after graduation, as the cheer team wasn't fully assembled. So, I cheered for a few of them with one or two others. As I was about to return to my seat, I noticed that the students really appreciated the congratulations I was yelling, along with the pom pom waiving.
About an hour into my cheering, a woman (who I never met) passed by me. I asked her to cheer with me, which she did. By the end of graduation, I had a cheering squad that filled the hallway from the arena to the exit door. I had a great time not because it was fun. It was a great time because of the smiles on the students' faces. This made me think... what if some of these students didn't have anyone cheering for them at graduation?! Then, I was determined to cheer as loud as I could for all of them.
A few days later, I was at a professional development seminar. As I went to the bathroom, I ran across the woman I described earlier in the cheer line. She asked me if I saw the pictures of me from commencement, which I hadn't. She agreed to send them to me.
The next day, she sent me one picture until she could locate the others. This picture (included with this post) made me very emotional, as I realized that it was more than a picture.
This picture symbolizes a person with joy, happiness, and someone who wants to share it with others. Given my long educational journey after multiple setbacks and my near su***de, I never truly believed that I could find pure joy again. Yet, this photographer (who I will try to locate to thank) seemingly held a mirror up to me to capture my unbridled spirit in a genuine, unsolicited moment. This picture immediately made me emotional because I didn't recognize that man as the person I've grown to become. Without words, I seemingly understood that this picture was a celebratory moment that highlighted that with my determination, perseverance, and resilience... I discovered that I can still be truly happy again regardless of the extremely difficult things that I've been through in my life.
*****
This is the message (with minor edits) that I sent to the woman who shared this picture with me.
*****
Thank you so much for sharing this picture!!!
It spoke to my spirt and moved my soul!
To know that I was directed to leave high school in the tenth grade after failing 6 of 7 classes and graduating 280 of 303 students with a 1.52 GPA.
To have been nearly academically dismissed from three schools.
To have almost given up on my life in 2014 by nearly ending it.
This picture is a culmination and celebration of my journey and impact on others as an educator.
Thanks to a serendipitous moment of meeting you at commencement and running into you a few days later... This validates and confirms the reasons I still exist and my desire to still be in the world.
So, THANK YOU!!
