I came across this photo the other day and decided it was particularly timely.  Taken on my sixth birthday in October, 1972, it’s my friends and I posing for a photo in our party best.

I love this picture.
Today, this picture makes me sad.

This is a photo from my birthday party.
These are my friends.
Not the entire class.
Not even all of the girls from my class.
These are my friends.
Hand-picked, personally invited, included to share in the cake and ice cream, games and prizes, present opening and picture sitting. Because they were my friends and birthdays are important.

My grandson turns six on Wednesday.
There will be no friends at his party.
No hand-picked–nor the whole class–friends to share in cake and ice cream, games and prizes, present opening and picture sitting.

Of all the things that have changed in the last fifty years or so, who would have thought NO FRIENDS at a birthday party would be one of them?

I love this picture.
Today, this picture makes me sad.

This is me with my cousin-brother on the day of my high school graduation, May 1984. There were almost 300 students in my graduating class.
The ceremony was held at the high school in the auditorium with rows of chairs and parents in the bleacher seats.
We had speeches, photo projections, and music.
We crossed the stage, accepted our diploma, and shook the many congratulatory hands because graduations are important.

Several of my friends’ have kids and grandkids graduating high school or college this year.
There will be no ceremonies.
No crossing the stage, accepting a diploma, nor shaking the many congratulatory hands.

Of all the things that have changed in the last thirty-six years or so, who would have thought NO CEREMONY for a graduation would be one of them?

Things have been altered on so many levels these last few months. We will be discovering the depths of these modifications for a very long time.

I know, things change.

And I know they will be good again. I guess I just feel sad for the youth caught in the midst of the unpredictable; the shifts we didn’t see coming. I have no doubt that the six year olds and graduates of today will be influential and adaptive.

They will make the best of it.
I guess I should, too.