My Happiest Experience

For thirteen long years, I imagined the stature and freedom of being a high school graduate. Every scenario I had created in my mind about my future was beyond this point of restraint that kept me from being a true adult. As far as I was concerned, in the last months of my high school career, graduating was the end game. I could practically feel the seals on my diploma and visualize the Old English font, I had never built up an event so much before. The only thing keeping me from moving forward with my life was the time until graduation. But I have now come to realize that time is an illusion that makes most people wish away all of the things we hold as our fondest memories. On this particular scorcher of a June morning, I had nearly slept

During the speeches, I kept looking at my family and I could feel their happiness when I saw all of them. They were all so proud of me, and this was my happiest moment that day. Before I could process that this surreal thing was truly happening, my row was standing up to get their diplomas. As if you could have heard yourself think with all of the chattering, I felt my heartbeat in every part of my body and every emotion rushed through me as the guidance counselor announced “MaKayla Jaye Horne,” to get my diploma. My brain felt fuzzy as I rushed back to my seat as quickly as the length of my gown would allow. Considering everything that had been going through my mind, after the ceremony closed I found my family to take pictures with them. I found my best friend, and we both cried. Once I had socialized with a few schoolmates and hugged my favorite teachers for the last time, I told my family I would meet them at Pizza Plus to eat. Being the girl that claimed so many times that I would not cry at graduation, I sat in my car and cried my eyes out before I met my family. I felt my heart sinking like a piece of me had died during the ceremony – and I guess in some way it