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My son is graduating from high school in a few weeks, and I’m wrecked. Not because I’m sad (okay, maybe a little), but because the word “graduation” means so much more than a walk across a stage. We made it not to something, but through it. It means we made it through years of mess and beauty, phases of growth and confusion, and times of laughter and late-night breakdowns. All of it.
It means I blinked and this tiny human is now his own person; a grown man with opinions, ideas, and a deep sense of fairness. He has a biting wit and a huge heart.
And it means I have to let go, not of him, but of who I thought I was supposed to be.
See, while he was learning math, mastering video games, and figuring out what haircuts made him feel like himself, I was learning too. I was learning how to work, lead, build a company, be in a marriage, and parent, sometimes all at once—and all to varying degrees of success. So much of that time was spent trying to prove I belonged—in rooms, at tables, behind microphones—that I forgot something: Being present is what matters most.
There’s a quote I’ve always carried with me, something my spouse learned in school: Parenting gives you the chance to re-parent yourself.
Whew.
Being a mom made me sit with my younger self. The one who wanted to feel safe and seen, and who wanted someone to show up, even when things were messy. Actually, especially when they were messy. So that is what I tried to give my son. A space where he can show up messy and still be loved. But kids today don’t get that grace from the world.
They are growing up in chaos: the planet is on fire, rights are being questioned, and everything is political, including facts. They are expected to be successful before they’re even stable.
We tell them to dream big, but then we also shove them into a system where worth is measured by test scores, college acceptances, and how “impressive” their LinkedIn looks by age 17. It’s a hamster wheel from the get-go, and it’s exhausting. I know because I’ve been on that hamster wheel, too. I think most of us have.
What I want for my son is for him to slow down. I want him to feel his own joy, not perform it for a grade or a social media post. I want him to ask not, How do I win at life? but rather, What do I love? Where can I do the most good?
I want that for me, too.
I don’t want to chase success to prove I belong. I want to use my energy to help others belong and to make space for women and marginalized people to lead. I want to shift the culture not to match the world as it is, but to build the one we need. So, yes, my son is graduating.
And so am I.
We’re both moving forward, not toward a perfect destination, but toward a fuller version of ourselves. That feels like the best kind of milestone.
Maybe we all need to sunset some previous parts of ourselves, to let go, walk across that metaphorical stage to find what’s next for us. What do you think? What are you graduating from this season?
Spring is the universe’s way of saying, “Get up, silly, we’re not done yet.” The trees are blooming, the birds are screaming love songs at 6 a.m., and the sun is finally trying again. Let this season be your cue to start something. Anything. Something joyful, weird, or wildly unnecessary. It’s the season of audacity—lean into it.
These apps are pure magic. They turn you into a curious, wandering little nature nerd. And that’s a good thing.
Sky Tonight: Stargazing made fun. This app tells you what constellations you’re looking at, and it's better than any dating app for a real cosmic connection. On Apple | On Google Play
Merlin Bird ID: You can literally point your phone at a chirping bird and this genius app IDs it. Suddenly, you're Snow White. On Apple | On Google Play
Seek by iNaturalist: Scan a plant, a bug, a mushroom - whatever - and learn what the hell it is. Knowledge is power (and also kinda fun at BBQs). On Apple | On Google Play
Rock Identifier: The gateway drug for geology fandom. Suddenly, you're explaining igneous rock to strangers. You're welcome. On Apple | On Google Play
“The best thing about realizing things should change is knowing you can change them.”
Let that one simmer in your gut this spring. You’re not stuck. You’re growing, just like the trees.
“Where flowers bloom, so does hope.” — Lady Bird Johnson
