To Kelly

Tomorrow, my niece Kelly will receive her masters degree from the University of Cincinnati in social work.  That makes me proud on a number of levels.  First of all, she is dedicating her life to helping others.  What greater gift can a person give to this planet and to herself?  Through all the work she has already done, she loves the accomplishment of helping others improve themselves.

Secondly, she is the first in her generation of our immediate family to get a masters.  She'll be followed shortly by one of my nephews, but for now, she is the first.  (I so much applaud my sisters for raising such wonderful, giving, intelligent children.)

And not the least of my uncle proudlyness, Kelly is graduating from my alma mater (which is Latin, by the way, for "nourishing mother,"  whatever relevance that might hold).  Granted it was exactly thirty years ago that I marched in my cap and gown, but hey, we never lose our loyalty.  And I dare anyone to challenge me . . . . I can still sing every word to the UC fight song.