Two thousand twenty graduates have been on my mind a lot during these COVID-19 weeks. I feel sad for them because they didn’t get a senior year, as the rest of us experienced. They didn’t even have the opportunity to get senioritis or senior-sneak. They didn’t get a prom or spring sports, and most aspects of college in the fall are unknown and likely riddled with anxiety.

I have noticed, though, that through the disappointments and loss of not having traditional celebrations and parties, impressive creativity has emerged. I appreciated the various articles in the South Platte Sentinel and Journal-Advocate announcing commencement plans from area schools. I thought, wow, many people have gathered the troops, made a plan, worked out details, and put into action an ability for seniors and their families to build untraditional memories.

Kudos to our local educators and parents for fast ingenuity in implementing a Plan B. They could have taken on the victim role and done nothing.

Creative endeavors are also evident across our nation. I enjoyed the virtual graduation ceremony “Graduate Together” on television, and I am impressed daily by the love and concern shown by families to create special days for their high school and college seniors. At-home proms, diplomas without handshakes, and parties, absent guests are just a few examples of digging deep to find solutions.

We would all like to be back to what we remember as standard, and we look to our government leaders and national television host to show us the way. I believe we all want to do the right thing, and cause no further harm, and we have proven over the last three months that we can shift our expectations and rise to the challenge of making the best of an unfortunate situation. Few people whine, cry, and curl up in a fetal position. Some gripe, groan, and complain, as they likely often do, but most of us try to build, contribute, and thrive. Thank goodness.

People who rise above this unfamiliar life with compassion and imagination make me smile with faith and hope. Human strength and creativity are out there for us to imitate and appreciate. In the age of having our noses stuck in technology, these COVID times have uncovered our ability to think outside the box.

Kudos to creativity while closing with two quotes. One is from C.S. Lewis, British writer, and lay theologian: “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.”

The second is from Leonard Cohen, Canadian singer-songwriter: “There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.”

Congratulations on your achievements, graduates. You are setting new standards.

Until the next time: Live while you live.

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