Tag: idaho

This Beautiful Land

Today I was flying back from my niece’s graduation. We spent the weekend in Moscow, Idaho. This is the home of the University of Idaho (UI) – the Alma mater of my dear husband and few members of his family. My niece became the fifth member of the husband’s family who have attended the UI.

It was a memorable and satisfying trip. Several months ago we didn’t know if my father-in-law will make it to Moscow. We were all relieved that my father-in-law not only made it, but looked so much better. His health is continuing to improve and we are all very happy about that.

I will write later about the commencement, but for now I wanted to write about the beautiful flight from Idaho to Utah. It was amazing! First, the rolling hills of the Palouse around Lewiston, and then the mountains and canyons getting bigger and more dramatic as we went on. Looking out the airplane window was mesmerizing. I found myself not able to look away. I wanted to see it all. It was relaxing while exhilarating at the same time. This land is so beautiful. I felt so small compared to the greatness of this land, this earth, this planet. It was a humbling experience.

When we go about our life, we feel that the world revolves around us – that somehow what’s happening (at work or personal life) is important or relevant. Then you are up there in the sky taking a peek at the world and then you realize that there is so much more than our daily lives. That there is so much beauty to experience in this world. That our lives are just small blips in the universe and we should take the time to pause and think about what’s around us.

I feel refreshed, blessed, and grateful for being able to experience such beauty…

Commencement

Today I attended my niece’s commencement at the University of Idaho (UI). What a beautiful experience! Nothing like being surrounded by the excitement of graduation to make you feel renewed.

The speeches, the videos, the photos. You can feel the pride in the air. The parents and family shouting the names of the graduates as they go through the podium. The cheers and applause growing as the afternoon went on. A lot of love in the air.

Listening to the remarks made me reminisce about my own graduations. I have had several graduations throughout my lifetime. Don’t remember much of the graduations before high school. I bet they were important to my parents, but I honestly can’t say that they were memorable to me. I do remember a bit about my eight grade graduation – the leap from middle school to high school. I guess that was many years ago and it is hard to remember. However, I know it was a very proud moment to myself and my parents, as I was the top student of the class. Then there was the high school graduation. The year was 1980. That one is a little bit more ingrained in my memory. Again, I was the top student of my class and I remember writing the speech. I still have that speech and I was able to bring it back to life during my high school 25th reunion. I remember looking at the graduation pictures. I looked like a General with so many medals on my chest. I received a gold medal for every discipline where I was the top student. And yes, I took them all! Graduating from high school was certainly memorable and I will never forget the pride exuded by my parents as they saw their oldest daughter getting recognition for achieving such a significant milestone.

Then it was college. I received my degree in Chemistry in 1984 from the University of Puerto Rico in Mayaguez. My years at college are very dear to my heart. I made lifelong friends during college. There was so much growth during my college years. I can say that I was finally flying from my parent’s nest – little by little, year by year, as I spent four years in college. I developed my personality and started feeling like an individual – not any longer my parent’s daughter, but myself. College years were forming years. Those were the years where I started searching for my soul – unknowingly – by starting questioning my future and my purpose. I did well in college (I continued to have very good grades), but I also can say that I thoroughly enjoyed my time in college.