 |
| A scroll which contains something more important than what's written on the paper itself. Photo / rgbstock |
Dreams, hopes and aspirations. Is it possible to hold these in the palm of your hand?
Symbolism. The impact, the logic and then there's the emotion.
What occurs when people cradle an inanimate object like the holy grail? You couldn't pry it away with a crow bar.
What allows for something others wouldn't hesitate to dump in the trash, to become so valuable to another? A relic; a keepsake with an emotional tie that goes deeper than the peeling paint/varnish/shredding fabric?
What occurs in that moment when something becomes more than just a thing, and transcends its original value, becoming a priceless artefact seeped with the importance of someone's thoughts?
Thinking turns it into a treasure.
Like a piece of paper.
Entwined within the words "graduate" are both ink on the tangible level, and hope, on the deeper one.
A piece of paper becomes symbolic for all that a student wishes for, all that she/he hopes to become. There's magic mixed with sweat, coffee and tears. It's hard work driven by determination to become someone better. To be someone you can, or your parents can, be proud of.
Symbolism in an object.
For all the past graduates. Your dream is still there alive and waiting for you. That piece of paper which once meant so much, is now a symbol of the sleep-deprivation i.e. your hard work, resourcefulness and determination. A symbol of what you can achieve. Of what you still have yet to achieve. Of what you're capable of.
For all the graduands. I hope the message is keep on keepin' on. Exams are nearly over and a new dawn will break soon. The dawn of a future where you see yourself holding a piece of paper which holds much hope and promise.
Until next time,
Jos
