We finally spotted Adam. He wasn't looking our way, but I snapped a picture anyways.
We had seats on the side of the graduates. When they were all seated, I looked across the aisle and spotted this older gentleman. He was actually walking beside Adam on the way in and made it into my first picture.
While most of the younger students were waving at their parents getting their pictures taken, he was intent upon taking pictures of the crowd. He had to put his glasses on to see the screen of his iPhone and in the process had trapped his tassel. I couldn't help but watch him and wonder what his story was.
In my mind, I wove what I imagined to be his story. He was probably taking pictures of his family - wife and kids. His kids were probably college graduates already and very proud of their dad. As is natural as we age and have been caregivers for much of our lives, it's not in our nature to be the center of attention as it once was when we were in our early 20's. We take the pictures, not our kids. If this was a younger student, the camera on their phone would be flipped and they would be taking a picture of themselves with their friends. He probably didn't even know how to do this, and, sadly, he didn't seem to have any friends.
I wondered how it must have been for him to go to college later in life. I bet he appreciated it more. His weekends were probably not spent at parties or other social events. Was he a full-time student, or did he take classes part-time over the years? What does he do for work? Does he have any grandchildren? I wish I could have talked with him to find answers to my questions.
I missed seeing him actually getting his diploma, but I watched him when he sat back down. He studied the words solemnly. Watching him, I felt myself well up with tears. How different from the young people who raised their diplomas high and chatted with their peers.
Toward the end of the commencement ceremony, the students raised their canes in jubilation, and the older gentleman joined right in.
I didn't see him again after the students filed out of the field house, but he had made an impression on me as I had spent so much time pondering his life during the 2 hour ceremony.
A few days after graduation, Adam mentioned the man to me. In a news article about the Middlebury commencement, it read:
Among the senior class was one familiar with the challenges that follow college. A member of the Class of 1970, he was a sociology/anthropology major who left Middlebury having completed all his academic work except for his thesis. Deciding that he wanted his degree, he fulfilled his remaining requirement this year and proudly accepted his diploma with the Class of 2013 at the age of 64.
And with the help of the Linkedin, I have discovered that he is a software sales consultant in the Boston area, utilizing the telephone and web to share the value of the Cloud.
I guess he really DOES know how to use his cell phone after all!
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