Suspended in Time
Sometimes, as you approach a beginning, it’s appropriate to start at the end. The Class of 2011 “graduated” last June. We tend to think of a graduation as an abrupt and final step, distinct from what came before or what comes after. But is that right?
The word “graduated” can mean – divided into intervals or to change gradually. An “interval” is the time or space between two moments or states.
Through this lens graduation is less of an event than an interval connecting one important part of your life to another. Like the mortarboards suspended in time in the picture above, graduation is a waypoint where things are momentarily at rest, a time of equilibrium and introspection where, in the blink of eye we can scan back and forward to the fleeting images of all the classes, stories, laughter, tears, games and songs that came before and to the journey that lies ahead.
It’s not so different with these last few moments before the first day of school begins. With the warmth of summer at our backs, who knows what stories new sixth graders may write for themselves this year, or what plans the rising seniors will craft for themselves and their time after graduation, or the potential that awaits all the other students and families as the 2011-2012 school year opens.
With last year in the rear view mirror and the new year on the horizon, take advantage of this quiet interval to watch the performance of Joe Pug’s Hymn 101 by Kevin Messinger and Nora Schlang at last summer’s graduation. Performed in a sanctuary, the song appropriately is a prayer to the actions and hopes that trailed the graduates as they walked in and those that awaited them as they left. Or, in other words, as Kevin says in his introduction, the song’s about “movin’ around… and finding yourself…”
Thanks to Mike and Amanda Messinger for the video (Amanda makes a cameo vocal appearance!).
More graduation pics at BurkePix – click here!
Eleanor Freidberger, 1/2 of the 
almost feel the echos of the prior day vibrating from the white brick wall.
The sounds of Wes Montgomery, Art Silver, Chick Corea and a host of other jazz luminaries rang out at last Saturday’s Annual GDS Jazz Festival. More than 85 music students from various GDS, Sidwell, and Burke bands played just about everything from post bop to samba, from tin pan alley to rap. Burke’s D Band Let the Good Times Roll with it’s opening number. The swing didn’t stop until the B band closed things out with a super cool version of Wes Montgomery’s Four On Six, with a classic wicked drum solo from Wylie (’11).
