Lee Graduates from college!
For some reason this photo chokes me up every time I look at it. The subjects, Boonlert, Lee and Yia Lor were all my students in high school. They are in the upper end of nine kids. Lee is the youngest of these three, and has graduated from Chico State, the first in her family to do so. They have all grown into smart, big-hearted adults who are comfortable with who they are. They are adult friends now, not my students. I am not even sure how to talk about them other than to say I am so glad I know them and that we are still friends.
It’s interesting how relationships change once kids graduate from high school. Some (the majority) you never hear from again. Some check in every so often, maybe some sort of a touchstone for them, and it’s always nice to hear how everything is going. Then there are those who stick around either virtually or in person, and become your friends. They are such a gift. I am fortunate to have several friends of this category. I treasure them!
