Being “Virtually” There
The big event I’m writing about today didn’t happen in India. It happened 12 time zones away, in Southern California. But thanks to modern technology, it partly happened here, too. My daughter Mary graduated from college!
My seat at Mary’s graduation, with laptop, phone, and coffee
At our home here in India, it was Saturday morning; and as soon as we woke up, we turned on our computer and connected to the internet. It was Friday evening in California, and the Commencement ceremony was getting underway, streamed live through multiple cameras. We sat in bed, drinking our morning coffee and eating muffins, watching it on our laptop. We listened to the speakers and eagerly waited for the awarding of the diplomas. As Mary’s name was called, she walked across the stage and received her diploma, her BA in Psychology, from the university president. Cameras followed her and recorded her big smile, and beamed it through space to our computer screen. From the audience, our other daughter was sending us her commentary via skype, and my sister was snapping photos and sending them on What’sApp. After the ceremony, we joined in the congratulations via a “live” video skype call with Mary and the family huddled around my sister’s phone.
My screen shot of the class of 2015
I’m very grateful for technology today, because I don’t feel like I’ve really missed my daughter’s graduation. We are very proud of her, and of our older daughter Anna. How far they have come from our days of homeschooling, on a mat on the floor of an African mud house! They are both smart, warm, thoughtful, and fun people to be around. And most of all, loving. It somehow seems appropriate that their happy smiles and waves should be beamed instantly around the world. They are global citizens, prepared by their education, their experience, and their faith to go out and love this only world.
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged graduation by Lisa