Southern Graduation

And then there's my younger son, who's still in the States.
He just graduated from college. That's why we were in the States.
College is over. No more kids in college. End of an era.
So many end of eras lately.
Too many for one heart.
It was a lovely graduation. The guys wore white tuxes with red roses; the girls white dresses with red rose corsages. They all looked so fresh, so young, so full of potential.
It was held outside, surrounded by the long mosses and weeping willows of Charleston. Hot as hell; we all had paper fans.
The Deep South. No mistaking that.
It was held outside the college's old cistern -- a ceremony taking advantage of the school's historic setting in one of the U.S.'s oldest and most beautiful towns.
Nice.
My son's happy there. He skipped around all over the place. He's had a good four years there. Knows everybody.
We're so proud of him.
So happy he's happy.
He's staying for awhile, another year at this point, he says. Living with buddies. Working his two jobs, one an entry-level job in the field he studied.
He's excited to try and make it on his own, pay for everything himself, be a grown-up.
And Charleston's a good place to be for what he studied. It's a great little place, Charleston. No denying that.
Of course, we all wish he'd come somewhere near here though. Although we try not to say it.
London? Rome? Me, my husband, and my older son.
Just to have him close.
To make things feel whole again.
That's just selfish, though. He's happy there. Doesn't know anybody here.
And as he has said, so rightly: YOU'RE THE ONES WHO MOVED.
No denying that.
I'm glad he's not going back to where we used to live. I think I'd miss him more then, knowing I could've been there too.
He's coming to Europe for a long time this summer.
First with some buddies -- like my older son did last year. The 'ol end-of-college, go-round-Europe, try-not-to-get-robbed-in-Barcelona trip.
And then some time with his family on our side of the hill in Italy.
So we'll all be together again soon.
Like when they were little.
Which will feel good.