My little town has a graduation ceremony for the 8th grade class. As I prepare to watch the festivities, I have to ask, why?

There was a time when 8th grade graduation made sense. Not everyone went on to high school; some went back to the farm or into the work force. They had the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic. What more did they need?

In today’s world, however, virtually all students go on to high school. And, in our case, it’s part of the same district. If the school were a private school that only went up to 8th grade, then I suppose I could see the sense in it, but as it is, the same kids will go on to high school together next year. At the ceremony tonight, they read a poem that was nice and would have been totally appropriate, even lovely, at a high school commencement. It talked of how they would remember their days together, and the memories will be with them forever. The only problem is, they aren’t separating. They will be in a different building, and the rules will change a little from middle school to high school, but much will remain the same. The same kids will be in the same sports and activities. They will continue together as a group.

Earlier this year, doing away with 8th grade graduation was discussed, but some of the girls objected, saying they had already bought dresses. I understand that. If kids/families have planned for it, but all means hold the ceremony. But next year, perhaps in September, the school should explore the possibility of doing away with this dinosaur of a tradition. It is time to move forward, into the 21st century.

the weather. Yes, the weather controls us. Think it’s not true? The other day, I woke up to the sound of rain thumping on the house. Now, my first reaction was that I would not have to water the tomatoes. But then my son woke up, and he was crabby! This was the second to last day of school, a fun day where the kids did a lot of game outside. Weather permitting, of course. And now, the weather was not cooperating. In his eyes, it was a miserable day!

After I got out and in the rain, going from vehicle to vehicle, building to building, I no longer appreciated the dousing I was getting with each trip outside. Not only was it windy, but it was breezy and cold as well. I guess I wouldn’t say the day was ruined by the weather, but it sure was influenced by it!

And our cold rain here was nothing compared to other places. Some towns in northeast Iowa really were pummeled by the weather, being destroyed by an F5 tornado. I brought 300 mph winds and was a mile and a half wide. That is wider than the entire town where I live! Talk about rearranging your life. Things will be very different there for a long time. I’m sure some people will mark the time by before and after the tornado.

Weather also gets our attention in the form of hurricanes, floods, blizzards and droughts. We ARE influenced by the weather. And maybe that’s not so bad. It keeps us humble. After all, with technology, we can control so many things. It’s good for us to know that in the big scheme of things we are not really so big after all. Sometimes, control is simply an illusion that we have. Weather can be one of those things that reaches out and puts us in our place.

The school I work for has a community service requirement. In order for students to graduate, they must volunteer a minimum of 40 hours. They can volunteer doing whatever they want, from babysitting at church, to mowing lawns, etc, etc, etc. I know some young people don’t get those hours in and just find someone to sign the form and say they did the work; students have admitted as much to me. Sounds pretty worthless, right?

Wait a minute. Yesterday I wrote about Memorial Day and its meaning. Many people do not even realize that the original purpose of Memorial Day is to honor those who have died while serving in the military. And do you know when I found out? My kids had to be part of the volunteer band that performed on Memorial Day. Unlike me, my kids will grow up understanding that on Memorial Day we honor the sacrifice of those men and women. And if it weren’t for the community service requirement, my kids possibly still would not know why there is a Memorial Day.

There are other benefits to this requirement as well. Students can do volunteer in any way that works for them. A kid that likes to be outside can do painting and lawn mowing. A kid that’s a reader could look for opportunities to volunteer at the library. My son has helped run the scoreboard at baseball games. Guess what? That counts! Almost anything is fair game if you don’t get paid and it helps someone else out.

In addition, students might just find something rewarding. I have had my son to some volunteer work with people with disabilities. He wouldn’t necessarily choose to do this, but I work at the facility, he wants to be with me, so I make him help out. It doesn’t hurt him. I am hoping he can gain some very important knowledge there.

I hope he learns that he is very fortunate compared to some others. He has abilities these people do not have and never have had. The paths of these disabled are, in many ways, chosen for them. We try not to treat them as children, but, by necessity, their choices are limited.

I hope he learns that everyone, regardless of who they are, how smart they are, how much money they have, what talents they do or do not possess, everyone is a person with value. Smiles and good times are treasures, and they should be shared abundantly and cherished accordingly.

I realize that not everyone will develop the habit of helping others. Many students will simply poo-poo the requirement, fake it, and go on with their lives. But there are valuable lessons to be learned from giving of yourself, and, I believe, some of those lessons will rub off, despite the bad attitudes of the learners.

And THAT makes it worth it.

Memorial Day first started in the 1860’s, when people in the South set aside a day to honor their Civil War dead. This idea spread across the country and came to be known as a day for honoring all war dead after World War I.

When I was a kid, I didn’t think much about Memorial Day. It was a day we didn’t have school. It was a day people went camping. (Personally I won’t go camping on Memorial Day Weekend. How can you get away from it all if you are surrounded by strangers who are also getting away from it all?) It was a day we were supposed to visit the graves of loved ones who had died. I didn’t even connect it with veterans or war dead until years later. I thought of it as the official start of the summer season.

Over the years, however, it has become more. Since 9/11 I have come to understand the necessity and the values of the armed forces. I have seen undisciplined and irresponsible kids join the military to be turned into solid young men and women. And I have known at least on soldier how made the ultimate sacrifice. A few years ago, young man who had graduated from the school I work in was killed in Afganistan, the victim of a landmine.

Yes, I’ve come to understand that Memorial Day is a lot more than the start of the camping season, or the day when it is once again permissible to wear white shoes. On Memorial Day, I think about the commitment veterans have made to our country and give thanks that they have done so.

Today, remember.

As I was scanning CNN this morning, the above headline caught my attention. My God, who have we lost? Daniel Radcliffe (Harry)? Rupurt Grint (Ron)? Perhaps an older actor, like Michael Gambon (the second Dumbledore; the first, Richard Harris, passed away) or Alan Rickman (Snape). How would the fans react? How would the final movie be affected? For that matter, how wold sales of the upcoming movie be affected? What would happen now?

It turns out the victim was an 18 year old by the name of Robert Knox, who played a minor role in the upcoming “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince”.

Realizing that the deceased was not one of the well-known actors, I thought about him for a while. His death made the news. People will notice him in the upcoming move and whisper. However, there will not be the outpouring of public grief and sympathy there would be if it were one for the better known players.

Except….

Except for Mr. Knox’s friends and family, who, I am sure, are shocked and grief-stricken. They have lost a treasured loved one. Just because Mr. Knox was not a big name star does not mean he will not be missed. His death touches me, as it should. And likewise, it should touch you as well.

Meditation XVII: No man is an island... by John Donne
"All mankind is of one author, and is one volume; when one man dies, one chapter is not torn out of the book, but translated into a better language; and every chapter must be so translated...As therefore the bell that rings to a sermon, calls not upon the preacher only, but upon the congregation to come: so this bell calls us all: but how much more me, who am brought so near the door by this sickness....No man is an island, entire of itself...any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."