Friday, May 27, 2011

Graduation



I graduated from San Francisco State University last Saturday. I needed to put a great big metaphoric exclamation point on the end of my university experience, so I walked with 2000 other graduates dressed head to toe in purple. I sat in the blazing sun listening to speech after boring speech on a jumbo-tron because the actual speaker was too far away from me to see. The stupid cap kept sliding off the back of my head and the "hood" all masters candidates wear continued to choke me, despite my heavy ring of keys I'd attached under my robes to hold it off my neck. The only one in my O and M class who decided to walk, I felt a little lonely surrounded by large groups of celebrating students from other departments. But at last I got to walk to the podium,  get my bright purple envelope (they send the actual diploma in the Fall) and shake the hand of a University chancellor. For those sixty seconds, I was buoyant; I could have flown above the heads of every single person crammed into the stadium on the wings of my bright purple robes.


I finally feel done.

I've spent the week catching up on Medusa work, but mostly I've been sitting quietly thinking about the day I got my Masters Degree. Now and then that feeling of completion fills my body and I have to stop what I'm doing and look around at the world. Nothing has really changed... except me. I reached my goal. I am free.

There's nothing else to prove. No other challenges on the horizon. At least not today.

My muse is eager to put all that drive and energy into creativity again, but for now, I want to rest. I want to plant my garden and clean up my yard; read a book; watch old movies; dance; play princess dominoes with my daughter; cook; sit in the sun with a glass of wine; kiss my husband.

I want to live.

Don't worry, Muse. I've never been able to resist you for long. And besides, didn't I just write you a full length play last month? Give me a break for a few weeks. I promise, Medusa's Muse will prosper and thrive and my own writing will flourish. You'll see. 

10 comments:

Kirsten said...

Congratulations Terena! What a wonderful feeling of accomplishment to savor.

David said...

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! I wish I had known as I would have shown up at SFSU to embarrass you! Maybe we will end up working together soon - and not with the Queen either??

Shannon Drury said...

Congratulations!

Rena said...

Thank you everyone.

David, that would have been fabulous. I'd love to see how you'd attempt to embarrass me. ;-)

and yes, I hope we can work together soon.

Leslie said...

you look like a field of purple flowers in that last photo... and congratulations! that sounds like a divine to-do list, by the way...

oh! and i love the new profile photo :)

Terry said...

You rock my dear daughter.
Luv
Dad

Sandi said...

You shine to me. So bright and brilliant with your life goals. I am warmed and heartened by your successes..you inspire me! Many Congratulations Terena!! You have earned this..savor it, embrace it, revel in the sweets of your success.

David said...

Yes, I imagine you as one of the hardest people to embarrass that I know here in the US, so it would probably have been a futile but fun attempt. I would have dropped to one knee in front of you, offered flowers, and sung "Celeste Aida" from Verdi's opera, but with the words changed to "Celeste Medusa".

Rena said...

David, I like it! My Muse is also impressed. She insists that you do it anyway.

myinnerchick.com said...

Congrats on you Masters!!! What an accomplishment! FabULOUS!