Circumstantial Pomp

So yesterday Wifey and the Ds and I drove to West Dade for D1's Master's graduation from FIU. FIU is in Westchester. I always promounced it like the NYC suburb, but to the Latins who live there it's way CHEST A. D1 donned her gown and mortar board, and we found our seats. The basketball arena played "Pomp and Circumstance" and then Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man." As all of the Deans and functionaries marched in, something happened to me that hasn't in awhile: I cried. Of course, I was immensely proud of D1, and that was part of my emotion. But I realized it was more generalized: who the audiece and graduates were. When I finished UM, most of the kids came from fairly well off families. I was the first in my family to get a Bachelors degree, but I was the exception: most of my classmates parents had at least one college degree. It was a rich school. Even at UF, although there were plenty from humble backgrounds, most of D1's friends were from the savvy rich: well off families who understood what a supreme waste of money it was to pay tuition at a private school. But FIU is the real deal. Most of the audience was immigrant stock. One handsome young black man stood out: his gray haired grandma hugged him -- she looked like a maintainence worker who was in her best dress. I'd say about 20 % of the grads were Anglos (in Miami, Jews like us are Anglos), a good 50% were Hispanic, and probably 30% were black. And the blacks were African, American, and a LOT of Carribbeans... So something about the whole ceremony seemed more sacred than other graduations I had attended. These kids were the true future dreams of these humble folks... The president of FIU is Mark Rosenberg -- a Midwestern Jew who LOVES his position. He singled out 2 grads as examples of FIU. One fellow came from Cuba when he was 11 -- his parents couldn't leave -- and he sold eggs to help his poor family in Hialeah. He worked his way though a BA, MA, and was now getting a doctorate in education. Another woman was a doctor in Haiti, and her husband was killed in the earthquake. She had to start over here, with 3 kids. She was getting her MS in nursing, and 2 of her kids were FIU pre meds... So it was a beautiful day -- both personally, on on a grander scale. We decamped to D1's apartment, and D2's boyfriend Jonathan brought a bottle of champagne. We toasted D1, and then drove to a new, gourmet restuarant in the Design District: Cypress Room. Alyssa, D1's roommie joined us, and we were met by Uncle Paul. We feasted, and celebrated. The bill for dinner was about the cost of 1/5 of D1's grad school tuition for a year. It was money well spent. So Wifey and I have completed the education of 1/2 our kids. D2 is set to graduate in May. I booked hotels already, and Gainesville lodging is already hiked up for the huge demand. I got one of 3 rooms left at the Hilton. D2 will probably go to grad school, too. And graduations for loved ones NEVER get old. Sometimes, like yesterday, even for cold hearted guys like me, they can even bring tears...