“If you want your children to improve, let them overhear the nice things you say about them to others.” ~Haim Ginott
This week’s blog is late, but for a very special reason. At Convocation this week Cheryl and I celebrated that proudest of moments as Queen’s parents. Our daughter Joanna received her Master’s degree in public administration (MPA). And, in one of the most wonderful traditions of being a faculty member at Queen’s University, I was able to hood Joanna when she received her degree.
At the ceremony, I was struck by several very powerful feelings that I am sure many other Queen’s parents in the audience shared. Time passes so quickly, and the time with your children is precious. A sense of awe in being reminded, profoundly, of what a talented and remarkable young women, our “little girl” has become!
Oh yes, and pride. To the “nth” degree! Today, we celebrate our Joanna’s accomplishment with the understanding that our children are our greatest accomplishment and greatest joy.
As Dean, I have had the great honour of participating in several convocation ceremonies for Queen’s Faculty of Health Sciences. They have all been special, but none can hold a candle to what today has meant to me, and to Cheryl. “Proud parents” doesn’t even begin to describe it…
Congratulations to all of the Queen’s parents and families at Convocation this week. If you have any stories about being a Queen’s parent and convocation, please drop me a line, or better yet drop by the Macklem House… my door is always open.
Richard
Congrats to Joanna and both of you! The hardest part of seeing your kids graduate is realizing just how little time has passed. Life is blindingly fast, and nothing brings that fact more thoroughly home to roost than seeing your offspring through these milestones.
So now on to grandchildren, perhaps?!?! I am regularly asked about this, but having two sons, the only reasonable response is “None that I know of”!
Love to all of you!
FLM
Dear Fred,
As always, you eloquently capture the sentiment in words better than most. We too have no grandchildren (yet) and are hoping for a few years before that next phase starts.
Richard
Dean Riznick,
I could totally identify with your emotions. A couple of years ago I had to privilege of hooding my son, Jonathan, as he received his MD degree from the Northern Ontario School of medicine. You put into words the emotions I found difficult to express. Thanks.
Dear Peter-John,
Thanks for the kind words and congratulations on your son’s graduation. I have had the opportunity now to work with several residents who graduated from NOSM. They have been universally impressive.
Richard
I can fully appreciate your feelings on such an occasion. I had the very great privilege of hooding my son Hal Braden when he graduated in 1985 from the Faculty of Medicine and it remains the most outstanding convocation of all that I participated in over the years .Time does pass far too quickly, but thankfully memories do linger .
Dear Don,
Thanks for your message. I remember HAl from when I was at U of T. Please say hello.
Richard
I have had the opportunity so far to hood my children three times at Queens and I am looking forward to the fourth time in the next year(or so).
It truly is a fantastic experience as is convocation in general. I would encourage all of the faculty to take advantage of joining in on the procession. In a way our students are all our children and like our own children we can learn so much from them. It is nice to share their joy and celebrate their accomplishments at convocation.
Stephen,
Thanks for your message and encouraging others to consider this privilege.
Richard