Yesterday, hundreds of people graduated from the Medical College of Wisconsin. Many have jobs to go onto, and many do not. But, it's sure that many are taking with them a great deal of experience, hope, stress, knowledge, and debt.  

Graduation is "closure." It's the end of years learning, stressing, fighting, and believing in something much bigger than yourself. It's the realization that the battle is over, you're going somewhere else. It's touching dry land after being isolated on a cruise ship for 80+ days. It's the acceptance that the loved who died is, indeed, gone.  

More than that, closure is closing your eyes at the end of a stressful day only to attend tomorrow's commencement when the sun rises.

Yesterday was tough for a myriad of reasons that only matter to me. I'm sure you've had more than enough tough days recently.  

What helped me today, and what might help you is to realize that we've graduated.

Yesterday we,

• Stressed;

• Laughed;

• Played;

• Cried;

• Worked;

• Fought;

• Learned;

• Questioned;

• Engaged;

• Failed;

• Made ourselves vulnerable;

• Gave too much;

• Gave too little;

• Believed;

• Waited;

• Wished;

• Suffered;

• Prayed' and

• we hoped.

Good morning, it's 10:02 AM as I write this to you. I am taking the opportunity to decide what to do next - to set an intention. Then, I'll take the step.  

This is my commencement.  

What's yours?

(Side note: congratulation to my baby sister for finishing her Master’s Degree in Public Health. I couldn’t be more proud of her - even when she wanted to give up most, she took a tiny step each day to get her to this goal… check out her work by visiting www.generationstogether.care. I love you, Babes!)