Eva graduated from 8th grade last Thursday. It was a big deal when you consider that Eva was not particularly fond of middle school. I think this is a sentiment shared by most people. Ask any woman about the toughest period in her life and she will most likely tell you it was the year she turned 12. I still recall my own horror stories when I was tortured by mean girls and shunned to go sit by myself in the playground because I wouldn’t participate in their exclusion of someone else.

One day this past week, when Eva and I were alone in the car, I told her how proud  I was of her for how she managed to survive middle school with dignity and grace. She didn’t become a mean girl, dress like a tramp or become a pot head (like many kids did). She nodded knowingly and thanked me,  but I am not sure she realizes yet the full magnitude of her achievement. Eva has made good choices and being able to have the courage and good sense to do so is the foundation for lifelong happiness and success.

I wish my Eva and her classmates, the 8th grade graduation class of 2010, much happiness and success in high school and beyond.