Oh, my child, the places you will go with God

It is May, a rite of passage for graduation ceremonies.

This year, my daughter is graduating from elementary school. We are not sure how we got here so fast; yet, here we are, preparing not just for graduation but also for the next chapter of her life – high school.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven –  Ecclesiastes 3:1.

Although it is an exciting time in our lives, we must pause, reflect and celebrate this life event.

When my daughter was just a year old, while attending preschool, she was infatuated with books, especially anything by Dr. Seuss. Her Nana gifted her one of his books, “Oh, the Places You Will Go.”  This book is usually gifted to those who are celebrating a new chapter in their lives, such as graduation. The central theme of this book is to keep on going, no matter the circumstances, through the good and not-so-good.

During this time, our daughter finished up her first year of preschool, and all of her teachers signed the book to commemorate the milestone. To this day, her preschool teachers recall her early obsession with Dr. Seuss. 

This tradition of her teachers – and others who were a part of her educational journey – signing this specific book continued for more than 12 years. This year, we will gift the book to her for graduation.

Over the years, this book has been filled with faith, memories and even life lessons, which she will be able to reflect back on as she celebrates graduation. 

This is just one example of “oh, the places you will go” with God. Every place and every person shapes who you are in the image of God. In school and beyond, these God-like individuals have walked the journey of life with our daughter, and they have let her know they will continue even as she moves on to the next chapter in her life.

As parents, we have always been grateful for the education she has received; yet, we are beyond grateful for the extra time and effort these teachers have taken to create something beautiful for our daughter.

As Dr. Seuss would say, “Don’t cry because it is over; smile because it happened.”

Lord, hear our prayers, guide our daughter and all these graduates as they enter a new season in their lives. We pray for all of the graduates and lift them up to you. Remind them that you, the Lord, have always and will always be with them every step of the way in all of the places they will go.

Kristy Solis grew up in Meraux, where she still resides with her family. Professionally, she has practiced as a registered nurse and a family nurse practitioner. She serves full-time as a nursing faculty member with the University of Holy Cross. Kristy’s husband serves the country in the United States Army. She has two young daughters and one young-at-heart papa. Her family is blessed to be part of Our Lady of Prompt Succor Church family in St. Bernard. Kristy’s favorite things are to pray with her family and experience new adventures with them. She can be reached at [email protected].