a subtle move

I have noticed that our communities do not often mark special occasions as a group.  Individual families may and often do create traditions or continue very old rituals to make certain moments special, but there is so little ceremony in our lives.  Old tribal peoples have practiced and continue to practice ceremonies with their communities which mark special occasions such as rites of passage into adulthood and marriage, the birth of children, calling for healing of the sick, and many others.  


Well, North Park University has few of these rituals, but one that they do perform in style is the commencement of graduates from the fold of the university to the next place in their lives.  I was blessed to participate in commencement last weekend, and I've been reflecting on the effect that this experience has had on me, and what I can learn from it and can bring to my other communities.


As I stood with my professors in the gymnasium I thought about all of the good work we did together--sure, they assigned it, but so many of them confessed learning along with me the whole time and it didn't feel like it was just my work, but the work of all of us together.  I experienced this especially with certain professors and mentors, and it was with them that I felt the most connected on that day.


A very physical representation of our unity caught my attention rather more strongly than I had expected: regalia.  All of us were wearing academic robes, hoods, and caps, and I have never felt more included in a group.  I did not have nearly such a moving experience in graduating from high school (perhaps because I was not receiving a degree?), but I'm glad that I had it this time.  I have no doubt that all of us marching along in academic regalia that day are now equals as adults.  For some reason, this event felt to me like a ritual accepting me into the truly enlightened adult community, which is exactly where I want to be (most of the time).  I no longer feel quite so skittish about being around adults...any adults.  In fact, it finally feels weird to say that about others and to not include myself despite my being an "adult" for over four years now.


I don't want to draw any direct conclusions from this beyond the need for rites of passage and rituals and ceremonies to mark distinct moments in our lives.  It is part of our make-up as individual human beings and necessary for communities to function to acknowledge the beginnings, ends, and other pivotal events in an individual's and their communities' history.  Without history, after all, there is no future!