Today was the commencement for my graduation from Utah State University. My Dad and Arlene, and Ashley’s parents were all there to celebrate the big day with us. Afterwards, we went to the Bluebird Restaurant for lunch. The commencement was a great experience and the speakers were excellent. I cannot believe the day has actually come and I was not sure it would ever arrive; it still feels very surreal. I am actually really proud of myself. I do not want to compare myself or wish for the challenges of others, but I feel that I have had to work with a lot of weight on my shoulders to get to this place. That is not to say that others had it easier, or that I had it harder, just that I am happy with what I have been able to do. I have to acknowledge that things would have been even harder had I not had such an amazing wife in Ashley, a supportive family, the blessings from a loving Heavenly Father, and many other things to help me. I started school as a single Dad with two kids. I was working full-time and the children were with me the majority of the time. Early on, I often even took them to my classes with me at SLCC. Since then, I have been diagnosed with a chronic medical condition, I have dealt with people who would seek to harm our family relationships, I have often worked 60+ hours per week, I have married my amazing eternal companion, we have had two additional children, and we have dealt with the challenges of having a child with medical conditions of his own, just to name a few. I don’t journal these things to brag or to complain, but to show what we are all capable of if we only persevere. While some of the these things were far more blessings than burdens, each one brought increased pressure or responsibility. Each one of these pressures, challenges, or responsibilities, at times, has caused me to feel a crushing weight on my shoulders. Some times I wondered if I would survive. Some of these pressures still exist and new ones come along all the time. The point is that if we use our strength for a good goal, eventually, we will make it. Accomplishing this degree has shown me that I am capable of accomplishing anything. The thing is; I am no different than anyone else. If anyone had told me the challenges I would face, I am not sure I would have believed them. I certainly would not have believed that I would survive them. But, just like anyone else, we get through some things because we have to. We survive by finding the joy in the little things. We survive by taking a breath, a drink of water along the way, or talking to someone. In the end, nothing can stop us but ourselves. No one who is still living has been killed by a bad day. We all have a perfect record for surviving even our worst day. While I may not have been the valedictorian at my commencement, I feel no less accomplished than anyone else in that room, because for me, this was a huge victory in my life.
