Thursday, May 22, Maureen and i watched Samuel James Jewell Gander receive his high school diploma.
His mother and father, Blythe Jewell Gander and Jason were there. His other grandparents, Carol and Bob Shea from Clearwater Florida, and his special Aunt Sassy, our other daughter Sarah Jewell Withers were also there. The family of Leigh and Wally Cook were represented by Leigh and their son and daughter, a close family relationship since i can remember, including Spencer and Gracie, their son and daughter. Wally stayed at home to cook the barbecue for the post graduation party. We sat proudly, and a little unruly, in Austin’s HEB center along with about 4,000 other relatives and friends (a guess on the number) of the 500 or so graduates. It was grand, nostalgic, hopeful, encouraging for the graduates…and long.
But time didn’t matter. My grandson Sam was graduating along with 600 other seniors. The new showcase for sports and events
When i sat down, the first thing i did was look for Sam’s name in the program. When i found it, i became quiet and felt tears of pride: “Samuel James Jewell Gander.” His two middle names are for my father, Jimmy Jewell. i sat there trying to channel Daddy because i wanted so much for him to be sitting in the empty seat beside me.
That feeling lasted throughout the ceremony and into the following celebration.
As the highest achievers in the class made their speeches to us, i recognized being my age is a good thing in many ways. i sat there and remembered my graduation at Castle Heights and compared. It was a different world back then.
i thought of the feeling of completion and accomplishment my fellow cadets and i experienced. as we received our diplomas. Time changes things and this group who were tossing their tassels from the right side to the left surely had the same sense of accomplishment and completion.
The Heightsmen of 1962 had hopes, goals, and dreams for what was ahead. These young men and women have theirs. Their journey will have more uncertainty, more knowledge about so many things, more assistance to get there, more choices, and many more obstacles than that 100 or so young men in uniforms in Lebanon, Tennessee so, oh so long ago.
i also had this strong desire to let Sam’s grandmother Kathie he called “Nene” know i was there with her precious grandson and how much she had contributed to Sam’s journey.
Sam will be a camp counselor again this summer. Then, he will head for Savannah, Georgia, to pursue a degree in interior design at the prestigious Savannah College for Art and Design (SCAD). Needless to say, i am very proud to be his grandfather. i know he will succeed in life and that is most important: living well.
Congratulations, Sam. You go, man.
papa.
