Lessons

There's a story on CNN about a student with cancer who is not being allowed to graduate with her class.
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2008/06/04/cancer.student.graduation.kxtv

The long-and-short of it is, because of her struggle with cancer, she failed a couple of classes and, therefore, is short on credits to complete her graduation. She's expecting to go to summer school and graduate after that.

She, her mom, and other supporters, are upset because the principal and the school board will not allow her to participate in the graduation ceremony with her class--because she has not, in fact, completed the requirements of graduation.

Whatever the merits of either side, from where I stand, there is an important life lesson for Leanna. In my life, I have had many ups-and-downs with my health. I nearly failed my high school freshman year because of my health. I remember walking into class after major surgery and my English teacher asking me, "are you still in my class?" I remember having to drop out of seminary because of my health. Life happens. Disappointments cloud our dreams. We have to face the fact that, sometimes, we will not achieve something we were hoping to achieve, and we have to learn to dream new dreams.

Moreover, I have often found that, because of these struggles, something better comes along. Dropping out of seminary was actually the best thing that could have happened to me, because, otherwise, I might still be a fundamentalist Baptist, in-the-closet, gay man trying to live a lie.

We have to stand up and forge ahead. We ought not, and indeed need not, expect others to "fix" our dreams. Leanna is stronger than she thinks. She is capable of living her life without having graduated with the rest of her class. And if she has cancer, she's going to need to learn just how much inner strength she has.