I cry at graduations. Sitting in the audience and watching the young faces who are so eager to face the world on their own gets me all kinds of teary-eyed and emotional. I reflect on the time I've known the mortar-board-clad seniors and wish them well. I worry that they'll be happy and hope they'll be able to withstand the disappointments life is sure to throw their way.
This graduation season was no different. As I watched Cody and Bailey deliver the commencement address, The Dad looked at me and said - without using a whisper voice whatsoever, "Are you crying?" Geez... Does this man not know me at all?
And when London speed-dialed Mr. Moseby in the last scene and said, "I'm going to miss you!" with a quivering chin and actual tears, I just let the emotions flow.
It was at that point that The Dad, got up from his recliner and said, "C'mon! It's a TV show!"
OK - I'll give him that point. But, the thing is that with Zack and Cody actually graduating and moving on with their lives or careers or concert series, whatever -- this is proof that time is marching on!
Feeling all kinds of weepy and abandoned by the man who should be holding me tight during this very difficult transition on my life, I turned to my friend FloJo one night at the ballpark as we watched our daughters playing softball ... in an older league than they were in last year! *gulp*
I asked her if she was as sad as I was about Zack and Cody and Bailey and London graduating. She asked me what in the world I was talking about. I clued her in that after six years on Disney, the whole gang was setting sail on a new adventure.
"Is that the one with that ditzy London chick?" she asked trying to follow my conversation.
"OH yes... and when she called Mr. Mosby, she was crying real tears!" I choked up.
"You know she's fake, right?" Geez... I knew she was kinda hippy, but don't tell me she actually did stuff with her kids... I mean, what spells quality time better than a 30-minute sit com staring tweens who have yet to know what rehab is really all about?
So, it was with me, myself and I that I reflected on the Suite Life years of my own sweet life and bid the whole class, I mean cast, adieu as I watched the final episode one last time before deleting it off of our DVR list and moving on with me life.
I completely get that it's not healthy to dwell on such things - especially such things that are on the "Kids Choice" section of the TV menu! So, with a nostalgic heart, I hit "delete" on the remote.
I needed time to heal. And be with my family. And reflect upon our own growth. And make more sangria - after all, Oprah's last episode was coming up and God only knows how I'd make it through THAT!
