Commencement

Today the class of 2009 graduated from Sarah Lawrence College and I watched. I watched with three fellow alums, live video streaming from computer to TV in a Brooklyn apartment. I remembered very clearly my own commencement--remember getting ready that morning in my Yonkers apartment, remember what I wore, how I felt so disheartned walking up the hill from Bates to the tent at Westlands, feeling that something was coming to a big, early conclusion. Beginning? It didn't feel that way. It pleased me to watch Rahm Emmanuel tear up at being back at his alma mater; I'm not sure there are too many schools that, in and of themselves, apart from memories of friends and freedom, are capable of inducing tears in their former students. I liked how emotionally connected to the place R.E. was this morning. I learned an interesting little story about R.E. when Karen Lawrence talked about his wedding, which took place in a public building--his wedding occuring simultaneously with various other community activities. She pointed out how similar that experience was to the one sought at Sarah Lawrence: buildings are for classrooms, dorms, and offices. Moments of intense purpose are carried out alongside moments of daily, convential life.

Mike Goodman's roomate walked into the room mid-way through the ceremony and asked how we could stand to watch speeches like these. I responded that I was a sucker for speeches like these. Karen Lawrence quoted Emily Dickinson and advised the students to "dwell in possibility," an idea that has been turning in my mind ever since. And maybe that's why I started this blog today--why not. I had fun writing the backstage blog for The Fulton, and possibly, this could be fun too.