Monday, April 19, 2010

Emily

The Old Man wants to borrow a minute of your time. I've got a lot of pride to show and it won't stay bottled up, so bear with me.

I found out today that the Beta Club still exists. I remember how when I was in high school, there would be an assembly. We loved them....got out of class, you know. Most of them were rife with lameness, but a couple of them were actually, well, fun. There was the awards assembly where athletic letters and such were passed out and there was the very special one where the incoming members of the Beta Club were literally "tapped". Existing members circulated in the auditorium and issued the invitations to those students whose superior intellect and hard work had qualified them for induction into this honor society, by silently tapping them on the shoulder. Then the "tappees" would gather on stage for a standing ovation.

Our granddaughter, Emily, was issued her invitation today. We weren't surprised.....we've known all along just how special and sincere she is. Beautiful, with a great head on her shoulders and a solid grounding in reality coupled with a "killer" work ethic, she has proven herself time and time again. Now, that is being recognized by her peers. And we cheer that.

Emily is unpretentious, and she might even be a bit embarrassed by this posting. She loves to banter and enjoys hearing the recounting of stories from her childhood. Our times together are filled with laughter and sometimes simple silliness, but her depth is great, and she has proven it. She can keep us all on our toes, and much we need that. She is a delight and a joy and we are so very thankful to have her in our lives.

I trust you will join me in saying, "Congratulations, Emily. You go girl".

4 comments:

Sherri said...

Congratulations, Emily. WTG!

Jack, I think your grandchildren and mine of similar age are the hope for the future. There is something very unique in this group coming along right now. Like their great-grandparents they will face unparalleled challenges and I think they will be up to it. The Emily's, Derek's and Jake's of their generation will rise to the occasion. We (you and Martha, Butch and I) have every right to be very proud of these very special children who are fast approaching adulthood.

This was a wonderful post and reminded me of the day my parents sneaked into the auditorium because they had been told in advance that I was being tapped for National Honor Society. It was so meaningful that even 47 years later, I can vividly recall my Dad's face when I gazed out from the stage. Tears were streaming down his cheeks. It is the only time I can ever remember seeing him cry.

Thank you for bringing back a memory that I had not thought of for many years.

I am sure that there will be many more wonderful successes ahead for young Emily. She's got great genes.

Jules said...

She is a MARVELOUS young lady and I am so SO proud of her! Dad, what a beautifully written CONGRATS to one special (and your favorite) granddaughter :)

LOVE YA and Emily I LOVE YOU and we're all SUPER proud of you!

La La said...

Ahhhhh....my sentiments exactly! (sniff, sniff) Thank you for such a beautiful post. I know Emily will greatly appreciate it as do we. She is an incredibly special young lady and we too are extremely proud of her....those beams you see coming from atop the mountain? That's not the sun, that's her Dad and I smiling a mile wide! :-) We love you so much Emily and are so proud of your hard won accomplishments! Reach for the sky, my darling girl...there is no stopping you!

Chele said...

Awesome Emily! Congrats to her! You and her whole family have every right to be proud of her. Like my mother, I think/hope there will be enough intelligence and common sense in this generation to change things for the better.