A Time to Celebrate

Watching Kali Cross the Finish Line

As we sat in the Akron auditorium with hundreds of other parents and families, I searched long and hard to spot her amongst all the caps and gowns. I can’t lie, when I found her I felt my throat tighten. Then they finally called her name and she walked across that stage to get that diploma. I thought about every challenge, every late night, every worry of the past four years that suddenly felt worth it all. It was one of the most profound moments of my life as her dad.

Living in separate homes from her mother, the journey wasn’t always easy. There were times when my best didn’t feel good enough, wondering if we did all we could to give Kali a good upbringing, the times when assignments brought tears of frustration, moments of exhaustion and points when we both wondered if she’d make it through. But she did, and to be honest, there was never truly a real doubt. And she didn’t just survive — she thrived in her own way, growing into someone I’m constantly amazed by.

What strikes me most isn’t just that she finished, though that achievement alone deserves celebration. It’s who she became along the way. I watched her learn resilience when things got hard, develop her own voice when it would have been easier to stay quiet, and discover strengths neither of us knew she had. Her artistic side was often on display and my girl never disappointed me.

As her father, I’ve tried to guide her, support her, be that listening ear and pick her up when she stumbled. But the truth is, she did the hard work. She showed up, day after day, even when it was difficult. That kind of self-determination isn’t always something you can teach — it’s something that comes from within, passed down through generations. Her ancestors were with her the whole time.

Now, as she stands on the cusp of whatever comes next (college, lol), I’m filled with both pride and a bittersweet awareness that this chapter is closing. My little girl is becoming a woman and is ready for the world. And while that’s exactly what we’ve been preparing her for, it doesn’t make it any less emotional to watch her go.

To Kali: I am so incredibly proud of you. Not just for graduating, but for the person you are and the person you’re becoming. This is your moment, and you’ve earned every bit of it.

Love, Dad