What Are Little Epiphanies?

Many High School's are now celebrating graduations. High School seniors around the country are celebrating their freedom. No more teachers, no more books...until college anyway.

I clearly remember my high school graduation. I fondly remember it as one of the best days of my life. I don't have too many fond memories, but it was my first real experience with an epiphany.

My High School graduation was held on the football field of my school, under a tent. It was one of the hottest days of the year. People were sweating, the graduates were sweating. Imagine being under gowns in a hot baking sun. (Not all of us were beneficial enough to get a chair under the tent. My seat was just outside it in full sun.) I also got a bad sunburn to go along with my new diploma.

We had rehearsed where we were all walking the day before, and all of us just wanted this to be over already. We were seated in alphabetical order- which meant that none of my friends were seated by me. When they finally announced a congratulations to the class, everyone threw their graduation hats up in the air.

And that's when it happened. It was like time suddenly went slower. Everything was in slow motion. I looked around and everyone was hugging each other. I didn't hug anyone because my friends were too far away. And a thought hit me. It will always be like this. I will be looking at others, sharing the joy with them but never really fully experiencing it myself. And I just accepted it as truth. It was a comforting epiphany, not a terrible one. It's just the way it is.

I looked at it like a sign- a warning that I should prepare myself for a life like that. I was not depressed or frightened by this little epiphany, I actually felt blessed for the sign.

I felt it to be true and I wasn't scared. I've never told anyone what I experienced that day. Its still hard finding the words to describe the actual experience, and I'm not convinced that I have done a good job of it now. But life seems to be filled with these little moments of clarity, and I am still in awe of them.

I appreciate them, I usually look forward to them. But mostly, I accept them.