Scenes from my Graduation ceremony.
Written by Nez, Posted in My Thoughts, Comments: leave another one
A graduation ceremony. A major highlight of academic year. A fantastic opportunity to celebrate hard work and academic achievement with family and friends.
To me it was time to celebrate my academic success. In the past two years, the time when I was studying, I travelled a lot. I could have easily chosen to neglect my studies and see the world but I had a future plan that nothing could take my attention from. I took my travelling as serious as my studies. I explored the cities by day and studied by night.
Last week in the early hours of Tuesday, Cullo and I drove to Stellenbosch University to attend my graduation ceremony. Stellenbosch, roughly an hour from Cape Town, is an old town surrounded by the Mountains in the Jonkershoek River Valley. It is is one of the most picturesque settings in the Cape.
We drove about an hour from our place, we bit traffic and arrived on time. There were hundreds of graduates accompanied by family and friends. My mom could not make it. I missed her a lot but I was glad when our pastors accepted my invitation to join us. It was so kind of them.
All graduates gathered in one place by 8am and ready to be seated. Amongst them were my class mates – those who have successfully completed Postgraduate Diploma in Project Management. We shared hugs and hand shakes, congratulating each other for making it.
In no time we were seated in the hall and waiting for our names to be called. I sat there counting my blessings one by one. When my name was called, I stood up and I walked with pride, my heart full of gratitude. It was in that moment, when I walked in front of professors, classmates, family and friends that I felt like my cup was being filled to the brim and more. I also new without doubt that I will be back here one day.
God has filled my cup with the greatest joys in and through it all. He has made my cup overflow. That’s not to say all is been perfect . You see, an overflowing cup spills, it gets messy. No assignment was submitted in perfect state, no vacation was planned with ease neither was everything neat or in order. But the cup still overflows, in and through it all. That is God’s promise to us.
Being a graduate in South Africa comes with huge responsibility. Studying further for a South African child is more than acquiring a qualification but acquiring a skill that will shift the country to the next economic gear. It is using education to understand cultural diversity, to eradicate poverty, to uplift communities and more. It is a challenge, however, it is not all doom and gloom, last week Stellenbosch University sent hundreds of promising young graduate to serve the country and become future leaders. Every graduate in my class already held high positions in their respective companies. There was not a single person who was unemployed. Hands up Mzansi, its a long road but my country will eventually get there.
I was so glad to have these two ladies in one place, all around me. Mom B (Bishop’s wife), passionately called by her spiritual children and my bff Rose. They are my inspiration.
Outside the hall we shake hands once more and went home to prepare for an evening celebration.
We invited a hand full of close friends and shared some food and drinks. Come the following day, I was completely exhausted at work. The celebration at our place ended by 2am. Thank you friends. And endless thanks to the best husband in the whole world – my boo.
David’s words sums up the day of my graduation perfectly in Psalm 23. The more he reflected on his journey in life through Gods protection and guidance, the fewer words he could find. He ends up by saying these words: “My cup overflows.”
Take care,
Nez