It's an Honor and a Privilege

We’ve been really pleased with our middle school. They have some really great programs and Daniel has been able to participate in several of them. In eighth grade, the kids can apply to participate in PSTA which is this school’s version of service club. Daniel had a great time doing that this school year. For the ninth graders, they can apply to be members of the National Junior Honor Society. NJHS also provides service to the school. Only those who are invited can apply and of those who are invited, less than half get in. Daniel and a number of his friends were invited to apply and most of them, including Daniel, got in. Tonight was the induction ceremony which was a suit and tie, cookies and punch event. I’m so pleased that not only is he excelling in school (and all on his own prerogative), but he has gotten himself all mixed up with a great group of kids. They are all focused in school, fun and polite to be around, and most of them are involved in some aspect of the school’s music program.

Sounds a lot like the group I hung around with in junior high and high school. Most of us were firmly entrenched in the music programs. We performed hither and yon and attended performances of our other friends. We spent nearly every weekend hanging out at someone or others house (I’m equally grateful for all those parents who accommodated our social habits). We consumed unbelievable amounts of M & M’s and root beer (my mom didn’t even get mad when we took to throwing M & M’s). We laughed and cried together. We went through some tough times (teenage emotions can be a killer) and somehow we managed to make it out together. Basically, we were inseparable.

I can’t even begin to express how thankful I am for all those friends. I’m so grateful that I never had to deal with being isolated or ostracized. I will never be able to repay the kindness of those who stood by my side and defended and protected me from a variety of hurts. It makes me think back and as an adult, I’ve realized just how lucky I was to be all mixed up in my very own great group of kids. At the time I think I took it for granted. I thought that everyone had an amazing group of peers with whom they felt totally accepted and loved. As an adult, I know that is not true. A lot of kids come out of high school feeling grateful that it is over. But I cried when I graduated. I knew things would never be the same. And while that was definitely true, it is also true that a number of those relationships have carried over. I’m still in touch with a pretty good number of those friends that I shared my teen years with. Of course, blogging and facebook have definitely facilitated that ongoing connection, but really I think it is a reflection of just how much we cared about each other. They were not friendships of convenience, they were the honest real deal.

So for Daniel it is an honor to be accepted in the NJHS, but it is a privilege to have a group of amazing kids. I’ll pray that they will be able to stick together.

Daniel and a couple of his chums.

 

Me and my cronies.