May and June is the time of the year when all across the US newly minted graduates get their recognition. This happy young man is Tim R. - who used to serve Mass at my parish from the time he was aged 9 until he was about 16, graduated last night. It's easy to see mom and dad are so proud.
One thing I have always loved about the US education system, is that it is very forgiving to those who took a detour in life, and don't exactly graduate on schedule. Tim got his diploma a few years later than his contemporaries. He'd had a bout with the "don't want to studies" in his early teen years which delayed him. Then he "got some sense" and straightened his life around, and buckled down. A harder prospect when most of your contemporaries have gone on to full time jobs and / or further schooling. But he persisted. He also has about a semester's worth of college credits under his belt. The California system allows all those 18 and up to enroll in the community college system, regardless if they have their HS diploma or not. As long as they can do the work, they are "in." Next year he'll still be working and going to college part time. There's more than one way to skin a cat. Tim's family and friends celebrated at Filipi's Pizza last night, a great Italian restaurant in the Little Italy section of San Diego.
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