The Last Shall Be The First

I promise to be more attentive... I swear that I will pay you more attention.

So my brother graduated from college yesterday. He is the youngest of the flock, so he is the last... If the Creator can make happier days, they would be based off of this one. The family had absolutely no restraint at the ceremony when my brother's name was called and he recieved his degree, and why should we? I tried to chill and play the background because I haven't been hanging out in the city as much as I used to, and it wasn't my day, but to no avail. My dad, Grandma and my aunts came at me like I did something wrong. As I grow older, the loud jokester I used to be has manifested himself into a very reserved and laid back cat. I only speak if there is something to say because words are so powerful. I hope my family understands this, but alas, I am still seen as a child to those that had thier hand in raising me.

I took a pic with my brother, I was the first one to do such, but didn't want to get in the family pix, so I just hung back and enjoyed my brother's moment. This dude went to three universities over a 6 year period, got married, relocated and now has three (3 dammit!!! 5 month old twins and a 2 year old in June) kids. Him and his wife have found a way to make it work, and I am proud. Now my job goes from explaining the subtle nuances of college politics to explaining why things are the way they are in corporate America. I was an executive search recriuter for a few years and I remember cats like lil bruh. His wife teaches high school hisotry and now it's his time to find a place in jobdom that will help the family stay afloat. I'll do what I can to make the transition from student-dad to working-dad a smooth one for my brother.

Whenever all of us are in the same place at the same time, my mother boo-hoos. Man, my brothers and lil sis and I are like the Jacksons, you will never see us in the same place, ever! You just have to flash back to the days of yesteryear when we were kids to remember when all my momma's kids were in the same room together. I was shocked and surprised to see my older brother at the comencement. Good looking out on my sister's behalf to get a ticket to my brother.

I felt outdone by a family that brought an airhorn to the ceremony... Damn, why didn't I stop by the swap meet beforehand?

There was an amazing family that graduated together. A dad and his two adult daughters walked across the stage together. Cool ish... Mom and her sister (aunt) are also alums...

Did I mention that I am an alum, and my brother graduated from the same program as I? Thing is, I completed mine online after dropping out (for the second time), and got transcripts, etc. in the mail. That was the first time I attended a comencement ceremony at my alma matter.

Unless one of us decides that either an MBA or doctorate program is in the pipeline, this is it as far as school is concerened. My sister did mention that she was considering jumping into an MBA healthcare management program while I have my sites (tentatively) set on a pharmD program, maybe. I got a little time. I wanna chase my dreams first.

It's been damn near a decade since the last of my Mom's kids left the house. To see all of us now is a testament to her and my dads (2) hard work and ass kicking perserverance. She is now oficially "old". In a good way.