The Graduations of Life by Windell Don Darden

The Graduations of Life

By Don Darden 12/8/02



Life is a series of graduations, beginning with the event of our birth until the most important final graduation from this life to the kingdom of heaven.

When we are conceived we grow in our mother’s womb and develop, by God’s grace, until we can sustain life on our own. At this time we are born and graduate from being a fetus to being an infant in this world as we know it today. This event is a happy and festive occasion. Everybody is happy, our parents, relatives, and our parents’ friends. This is, indeed, a time for celebration.

We continue to strengthen our muscles and improve our motor skills until we are old enough to enter pre-kindergarten. We then graduate to the beginning of our formal education years. Everybody is happy, the parents, relatives, and friends. This requires a change to a different way of life.

The following year we graduate to kindergarten. The next year we graduate into the first grade. Another joyous occasion. Another change of lifestyle.

After a series of graduations as we move from one grade to another we eventually reach another major graduation when we move from grade school to middle school. Everyone is happy and another change in our living patterns.

After a series of graduations from one grade to another we reach another major graduation when we graduate from middle school to high school. Again everyone is happy and a more important change in our lifestyle.

A series of grade graduations brings us to the most important graduation to date. We graduate from high school. There are celebrations and gifts as everybody congratulates us on this major achievement.

Then we reach the most drastic change of our lifestyle to date when we enter either the work place or a school of higher learning.

After a series of graduating from freshmen to seniors we eventually graduate from college. The most important event yet in our lives to date. Another joyous occasion with celebrations and parties. Everyone is exceedingly happy for us. Another more serious change of lifestyle.

We then enter the work force where we achieve a series of graduations from one position and pay raises to another. We eventually reach the age of retirement. There are celebrations and happy occasions when we graduate from the work force to a life of leisure. Everyone is again happy for us, a time for celebrating.

As time goes on, natural aging progresses to the point that our bodies and minds cannot sustain life and our mortal bodies (but not our souls) die. This is the point where we reach the ultimate graduation of all, what our life of graduations has been preparing us for-------If we have lived our life according to God’s laws and accepted Jesus into our life, our spirit graduates from this world that we know to the Kingdom of God. We are extremely happy. No more worries, no more pains, no more sorrows, just peace and bliss with all the comforts of God’s Kingdom.

Are our friends and relatives happy for us? They walk around with long faces with tears in their eyes. This is the time for celebrating, not tears. This is truly a time for joy for the departed.

Having been on the surviving side many times I have felt the loss of losing family members, relatives, and friends. Each time I felt a sense of loss. I was sorrowful that the departed was no longer with me. It was uncertain what the future would bring without them. I know their spirit is with God and they have achieved the ultimate God has for us. And, even though their departure makes me sad I am happy they have achieved the ultimate graduation of all.

We don’t all handle grief the same way, so to those who find peace and comfort at the grave site of a loved one, I say, "Go, and may God be with you, but don’t set in judgment of those who find grave sites too painful to bear."

The following poem was published several years ago that says it all:

Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow;
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain;
I am the gentle autumn’s rain.
When you awaken in the morning’s hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft star that shines at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry.
I am not there, I did not die.

(Author Unknown)