What Are We Missing?

Lectio Divina Out Loud: During graduation this year, Erika Dix felt something was missing, but God was there all along. 

Though young men faint and grow weary, and youths stagger and fall, they that hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar on eagles’ wings; they will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint. (Isaiah 40:30-31)

Growing weary 

Graduation time. I still cannot believe that four years have passed. And for these particular graduates, what four years they have been: they started their freshman year in a world-wide pandemic and working on their classes virtually or in a distanced hybrid style. Some classes worked this way while others did not, especially music and athletic classes. Most of the virtual classes were held without “faces,” just a bunch of black squares with random participation. For some students, this helped their confidence, while for other students this added to more of their feelings of isolation. As a mom, I experienced both of these types among my own kids. I also discovered how I would perform as a hall monitor and principal for them as I tried to guide them through the remote-learning waters.   

Sophomore year began with a lurch where they thought they were returning to in-person learning — but needed to delay that for a month. I started referring to this year as “Second Freshman Year” and not sophomore year, since that is what it felt like. The students had to experience all the “firsts” of freshman year while still being expected to know their way around as though they had been there already.

My daughter was learning her schedule and wondering how to eat lunch while still socially distanced, but still trying to make social connections. She quit her band class because while she had been so looking forward to high school band, playing virtually her freshman year with no one around her but black screens did not inspire continuing in that class. She did return to band her second semester now that it was in person, and she realized how much she'd missed playing her instrument with others.   

Junior and senior years played out differently as well, but it did feel more “normal.” There was much more to do and more connections to be made. While it felt normal, there was still a feeling of something missing, or left out. As we got closer to graduation, my daughter kept mentioning that she wished she had “one more year.” I realized that this came from missing that first year of school while remote learning. It is the connection that we gain from working together and being around others that gives us the hope to not faint and grow weary, or stagger and fall. I noticed that especially with the youth that started their freshman years virtually and isolated.  

They that hope in the Lord … 

Throughout the pandemic, we were working on renewing our strength as it is written in the scripture verse from Isaiah. It may not have looked like it did before, but we tried to connect with others, with our family, and with God. We turned to God many times to renew our strength and looking back, I saw many times where God helped give us the hope to not grow weary or fall. I am very grateful to the band directors who welcomed my daughter back with open arms, and being a part of that group definitely gave her the strength to make it to graduation. They were the eagle’s wings that helped her to soar.   

There are times we feel that missing year with bitterness, but without it we may have missed something bigger. God was there all along, renewing our strength. It was in the teachers, caregivers, doctors, therapists, friends, family and loved ones. God helped lift all of these graduating students and carried them the rest of the way. Now they will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint on the way to the next phases of their lives.   

To all the moms out there with recent graduates, we did it. We helped God renew our kids' strength to make it to the end. Through our eagle’s wings of prayer, sacrifice and love, our kids made it through this tough time, and are stronger for it. May God bless you and your wings.   

Prayer

Lord, thank you for the strength you give to moms. Please bless the graduates and the families, friends, and loved ones who support them.    

Share your thoughts with the Catholic Mom community! You'll find the comment box below the author's bio and list of recommended articles.

Copyright 2024 Erika Dix
Images: Canva