It’s graduation season. The air is filled with excitement, emotion, and just a hint of cologne and hairspray. Across gymnasiums and banquet halls, students are pinning on boutonnieres and corsages, tossing hats high into the sky, and dancing the night away at proms and grad dinners. These moments mark the end of something significant – and the start of something even greater.
In our household of seven we have three high school graduates, spanning this year and next. As a mother, I am overwhelmed with pride and emotion. Thirteen years of learning, growing, making friends, discovering talents, and navigating challenges – what a journey. And now, each of our children is stepping into the world, ready with their own plans, dreams, and ideas.
I’ll admit, it’s bittersweet. I’m proud beyond words, but a little sad too – realizing they don’t need me the way they once did. Still, I hope that home will always be a place of comfort for them, a place where they can return to their roots, their values, and those who love them unconditionally.
My husband, ever the steady counterpart to my sentimentality, takes it all in stride. He’s proud too – he just expresses it through chatting mechanics with our son or watching our daughters assert their independence with that signature gleam in their eyes.
Each graduate this year has their own story. Some were homeschooled. Others have just finished degrees in college or university. Some started out shy and had to be coaxed into kindergarten classrooms, while others bounded in without hesitation. Whatever their path, they’ve all grown – literally – and they’ve all grown in character.
And yes, as cliché as it sounds, these graduates are our future. They are our next farmers, innovators, builders, and business owners. They will protect our safety, shape our laws, enrich our culture, and help care for our environment and one another.
As both a parent and a member of the Official Opposition in the British Columbia Legislative Assembly, I reflect not just on their futures, but on our responsibilities as adults and leaders.
Honestly, it’s a little terrifying to hand over the reins. I joke, but only partly. What kind of world are we handing to them? Have we done enough to set the stage for a future full of opportunity?
That’s the work I take seriously. In my role, I’m committed to creating and challenging policies that enable our young people to thrive – policies that lead to more jobs, affordable energy, abundant food, and real, tangible hope. We need to do better – and we can – when we work together.
So today, to our graduates: we celebrate you. We honour your achievements, your resilience, and your readiness to take the next step. You make us proud. And to the parents, teachers, mentors, and friends who helped guide them – thank you.
To all the grads: this is your moment. May your hats fly high, your dreams soar even higher, and may you always know that you are deeply valued – not just for what you do, but for who you are.
Congratulations, Class of 2025. The future is bright – and it’s yours.
Source Kelowna Now
