No one prepares you

That's the refrain, right? For when you're first shown the lines on the pregnancy test, for when you hold them as a newborn for the first time, for when you send them into the care of someone you only just met. The first illness, the first friendship blow up, the first time you really disappoint them. For when you really see them catch fire.

And now for this: the joy, fear, pride, and relief. The amazement at being his parent and a member of the community that helped shape him. The glow of knowing that this brilliant, funny, and kind human is our son, and our son is now a college graduate.

I cannot speak highly enough of the education professionals with whom we've had the privilege of working to teach, support, and care for Eamon since he was a toddler (or more deeply of the fact that such caring educators should be the right of every child). I'll let him tell you his own stories, but I do want to recognize one group of Eamon's teachers in particular (and their peers in general), his early childhood teachers, whose knowledge of child development were critical in charting a path which lead to this moment.

I also want to express my gratitude towards the University of Maryland, which is a remarkable academic institution. I've spent the vast majority of my adult life associated with higher education. My memories of student life still have a halo undiminished by my brief stint as a college instructor or my longer stint advocating for higher education professionals. All that's to say I've spent a lot of time on a lot of different college campuses. UMD is the first (and likely only) university I get to experience as a parent, and that may be part of the formation of my feeling towards it, but the vibe on campus is unlike any other I've experienced, the buzz present in people from the breadth of Maryland (and the globe) who genuinely care about each gathered together in curiosity.

I'm getting a little teary just writing those words.

That vibe was present during the first orientations we attended. It was present during his Commencement. In the choice of keynote speaker: an alum, a black woman, a public servant with a message of self-worth. In the themes that resonated through the speeches (all of which hit the feelz pretty hard): we take care of each other, our work serves people, we are now engineers, but more importantly, we are people with woes and dreams. It's a joyful embrace of humanity that's to be celebrated and taken into the world.

Eamon's journey would not have been possible without a firm foundation at home, and I've been fortunate enough to be Tamara's co-parent. She is Eamon's biggest champion and his fiercest advocate. Her example and her work have made me a better parent and a better person. The two of them have such a special bond, and I'm grateful to have been part of a family with two such extraordinary people.

All of that said, you can create all the opportunities in the world, but they don't mean a thing if the person for whom they are intended doesn't walk through door opened for them. As he's grown older, Eamon's curiosity has grown in proportion to his skill. He's worked tirelessly on his degree and academic clubs, but he's also carved out space to pursue other passions. He puts his whole self into projects, finds ways to work himself out of tough spots. He's developed into a capable and compassionate leader and mentor in his own right. He's got the mind of an engineer and the soul of an artist (I think I speak for Tamara in saying that we're both pretty thrilled that he was recognized by UMD's Professional Writing program for his e-portfolio (which you should definitely check out!)). He's an amazing young man who's going to do the neatest, most unexpected things, and I can't wait to see what they are.

Fortunately, for us, he's sticking around at UMD for one more year to complete a Master's degree, and he'll be on the market for jobs in high performance automotive engineering within the next year (which I'll be speaking with at least one of you about (you know who you are)). I'm grateful for the buffer of one final year to bask in his company before his path potentially takes him elsewhere.

Even with the buffer, I know I'm not going to be prepared for what's next. No one prepares you. No one can. But I look forward to diving in. Congratulations, Eamon. I love you.