I wish I had had something more exciting to write about, but alas this upcoming week is the last of the term and final exams are pretty much the only thing that people have on their minds right now. For the last week, the bulk of my free time has been spent preparing for tests or tutoring others so that they feel more prepared for theirs. This is all just part of being a student though, and in just a few short days it will all be over.

I did have a little fun this weekend though. Sunday morning I was up early working on school stuff, and my daughter got out of bed to see what I was up to. I asked if she was hungry and then told her to get dressed but do it quietly because we were going to have a secret breakfast, special mommy-daughter time. There was a lot of whispering and quiet giggles as we ran around the house getting ready and out we went to a local restaurant where she could get rainbow pancakes. We were able to get home before anyone else in the house woke up. After that, the secret outing didn’t stay a secret for long, but it was a good morning.

At the end of the week, commencement will take place, and another class of health care providers will make their way into the world. I try to make it out to graduation whenever I am able. While it is nice to show my support for those in our school community that I have become close to, the biggest reason that I go is that it helps me to “keep my eye on the prize.” Graduation is a funny thing. Sometimes it feels like it may never come, and at others it seems to be just around the corner.

I am now past the halfway point having reached my two-year countdown for finishing up both degrees. There is still so much to do, and two years seems like no time at all. This is the first graduation where I got excited about the commencement speaker. Dr. Hunter “Patch” Adams will be at our school for commencement this spring!

You may know him as the inspiration behind a Robin Williams movie that came out some years ago. I have followed his work for a bit now, and the mission of his health institute is one that truly speaks to my values. It states, “We are a model of holistic medical care based on the belief that the health of the individual cannot be separated from the health of the family, the community, the society and the world.” This is a profound idea; we are all connected, just think about all of the people involved in your day, down to how you came to have the food that you are eating, or the clothes that you are wearing. The health of the world touches our lives every day. It would make sense to work to improve it.

If you can’t make to the Lombard campus, but would like to hear Dr. Adams speak, click graduation and join us via live streaming. The ceremony takes place this Friday from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. CT.