to celebrate

One should wish to celebrate more than one should wish to be celebrated.

Lucille Clifton

WGBH is on in the background, and I just heard that quote. It struck me, since Harvard's commencement just happened last Thursday, and I'm coordinating a thank you lunch for Tuesday. Two awesome events to celebrate my community -- the people I live with, and the people who make it possible to live with those people.

Commencement was beautiful. All of the graduates and their families decked out in their finest, including a gorgeous red lace with gold trim from Nigeria. The weather was just cool enough to be pleasant in the sun, cloudy in the morning and clearing by the time noon rolled around for the House ceremony. Speeches by the housemaster, resident dean, and two students were awesome, particularly one that described every time Currier alumni meet as a "homecoming." My heart swelled with gratitude to know these fabulous students as I held sleeping Leo swaddled in green star-studded muslin and hugged the graduates over him. It swelled with indignation at the parents who couldn't follow directions about where not to stand, but then I decided to let it go and enjoy the day. Smart move -- heart rate and breathing slowed down to normal after I did. To top it off, a delicious lunch and reveling in it all.

That was "part one" of celebrating my community, although I didn't know it at the time. "Part two" is in the works for Tuesday.

Benjamin and I were talking last week about how we're going to miss having food prepared and messes cleaned up for us this summer, which led to how we're going to miss the people who have those jobs in Currier. At the time we thought, "oh well, it would be nice to make sure they know that sometime. Next year, I guess. Looks like it's too late this year."

Then, on Thursday afternoon, one of the dining hall staff mentioned that I should stop by when they were there the following Tuesday to have a drink with them. "Ah ha! They'll be here. Maybe, just maybe, we can do this after all..." A few emails later, we're up and running with a plan to throw down! Oh, and it's a surprise.

So, yeah, to celebrate. I'll report back post-event about how it went. (!)