Graduation

So recently, I've just been extremely busy helping my boss put together a magazine. We really need to get this magazine out for July 25 so we have been working our asses off to get the rest of the content into the magazine. So the other day my mom sent me pictures of my older brothers university graduation. The people who attended were my mom, my aunt, and my younger brother. Sadly, I missed the graduation because I am in Malawi. When I looked at the pictures of course it made me feel awful that I wasn't there to be with my family. Secondly, looking at the pictures made me reminisce about school because that was also my old university. I did a degree in English and another in Journalism. My brother's graduation was for his second degree. He did a degree in Computer Science and Actuary Science. So immediately you can see the difference eh? he he. anyway thirdly looking at the pictures made me really take notice of how fast everyone is growing up. I mean my brother is older than me but in the picture was my younger brother as well. In about a week or so he will have his high school graduation. My God this means I am truly getting old. Between me and him there's a nine year difference and him and my brother 10 years. imagine. that's a huge gap. But in the picture my younger brother looked so grown. It was scary. I swear it was yesterday when he would follow me everywhere. I remember when kris kross was big that was mid 90's or so, I dressed him up in baggy pants and big hats. I mean he was young so of course if his big sister wanted to hang out he would agree. I remember dragging him along to all kinds of movies at the theater. And of course he would love it. Then as I started growing up more. I got friends. Then a boyfriend. The trips to the theater with he and I became fewer and farther between. I regret that. Now looking at the pictures I realized I missed so much of his life. I mean I was in university while he was going through those horrible changes in high school. You know puberty and hormones. Those years can be traumatic. I don't know what kind of parental difficulties he had in detail. I don't know much. And these days all I can manage to get from him about his life is a fine. It's typical I know cuz I was the same way but it's sad. I just look back and wish I had really been there for him. In any case, it's a result of the age difference that we really have become strangers and now being in Malawi makes it even more difficult. I think I hate graduations. They just make you reflect on life and they make you feel old. Graduations are a celebration of finishing school but I also think they are a big slap in the face. It's the schools way of saying, "GET OUT, GO TO THE REAL WORLD. YOU'RE TOO OLD FOR THIS PLACE!" Yup I officially hate graduations.