Graduation Fever

Last weekend, I watched my little brother graduate from high school and it reminded me of my own and how much I have changed since that time and I wonder how much will he change in 10 years.
There was a moment when the commencement speaker was telling these young graduates to read...she said, "read your college textbooks, read for the fun it or read to a young person...do you remember that feeling as a child when you would sit on someone's lap and they would read to you, well do it for someone else, but read."
It was this moment that I broke down, I couldn't help myself because at that moment, I was flooded with all the moments of when I would read to him or how often he would follow me and how frustrated I would get and now I'm lucky if I even get him to stop and say hello.
By all means he is no longer the little boy I remember and he is at a point where he is unsure of his plans, college, job corp, or what...and no matter how many times I stress it, he just needs to get away for the kids he is running about with now. I know he isn't listening.
I know he doesn't believe in himself that he can finish college as he barely got by high school, but I believe in him. And I ask myself will he find himself and straighten out, but I wonder as he continues to hang with the people he is associating himself with - will he change, will he come into the person I know he can be or will he take the lazy road to life. I hope not because I know he is capable of more, he is good, he is smart, but he just isn't acting it right now. And then should we even ask that of him as he struggles to find himself because really graduation from high school is really only the beginning.

"Graduation is only a concept. In real life every day you graduate. Graduation is a process that goes on until the last day of your life. If you can grasp that, you'll make a difference." ~Arie Pencovici