Who invented the phrase “.. in the merry, merry month of May?” Was it the revered Bard himself?  The prankster/satirist Chaucer?  Or a drunken reveler in an early incarnation of “The Renaissance Faire?”.
What about that English poet whose seductive refrain of “… come Corrina, let’s go a-maying….”.   Hint-hint: They weren’t talking about collecting pollen samples…
I could Google it.  You could too.
I won’t.
My twins are rarin’ to turn 22 this month (are we?) as they approach their college graduation.  But on this May morn, I’m recalling 20 years ago with them:
We arrive any May morning at stunningly simple and elegant Mathew Turner park off of J Street.  Unloading them from a cramped 1996 Camry with child seats that defy physics and leave scraped knuckles and twisted car straps in their wake.  Unpacking the huge twin stroller reminded me of the sciatic nerve’s location.     Inevitably, John would prefer the back seat, perhaps with the sun visor pulled down, to observe and reflect – perhaps to “stand guard” for them.  Anjuli would insist on the front position, so much better to sit in awe or chatter and engage with every living thing that moved – and a few items that didn’t (“Hi ducks. Hi butterflies… ‘lo water ”).
It was a time before dropping them off to their first day in Montessori, where both sat on a bench their first day quite silent for 20 minutes before engaging with the kids’ play area;  a time before sippy cups were tossed/recycled – thank God – and before “Marcello” the run-away bunny somehow visited our house to stay and soon have 5 babies:  Vivaldi, Bartolomeo, Giuseppe, et al. (Yes, yes… if you’re following, mom’s gender label is all wrong or at least questionable:  I got it right the second time… )
It was also a time before they posted, inevitably, the “Don’t Do This” signs that cities seem required to post:  “Don’t feed the duck or the geese:  here’s why.”  I get it, now; back then – I/we could remain blissfully ignorant of duck/geese digestive considerations.  And so we fed them many a morning with left-over breads:  Acme herb from First Street Café won high praise from both Mother Goose and Papa Thelonious; ducklings were happy with whatever. Anji would continue the world’s-longest-toddler-conversation with Momma Goose– but was frightened by the scale and size and honker-capacity of cranky Papa Thelonious.  It did not go unnoticed that Thelonious’s snappy beak came right about up to their head level (Or, if you’re a standing male adult…. heads up, lads). John would always attempt to help and protect his sister, which, upon serious consideration of circumstances and incoming, incoming beaks everywhere,  usually meant throwing the danged bread at Papa T. and scrambling with her elsewhere….
This, all before grade school, middle school, journalism/yearbook leadership, talented soccer records, skateboards, rock band, piano lessons, driving lessons, tree-houses at Cave Junction and first dates. All before reluctantly heeding the advice of friend Joe Valdez and purchasing – gasp, gasp – a used, silver Sienna mini-van, later christened “Stella” (sure:  think Brando in “Streetcar”) a purchase which was invaluable and still is our favorite-vehicle-to-drive.  It was also way before college applications, interviews, residence halls, off-campus apartments, scholarships, grants,  work-study hours, home-equity loan balancing acts and such….. And all the while, during Suzanne’s incredible ability to excel at both working professional educator and dedicated, involved mom. My love.
Why all the memories?  And why now?  Because this month, our family has three upcoming college graduations, a trilogy of sorts:   a nephew in Texas graduates from an intensive one-year online program with a Master’s in Social Work (MSW);  Anjuli graduates from Pitzer College in the Claremont College Consortium with a dual-major degree in Sociology and Legal Studies en route to a Master’s at Oxford;  and John receives his Criminal Justice Administration degree from Sacramento State University, en route to attending police academy this summer. Each graduation follows the other, and I am immensely proud and thankful to each of them for their dedication, perseverance, ability to take risks and seek the best challenges for themselves. Our souls, our community and our country need that perseverance and commitment. Our twins turn 22 in mid-May, the same birthday as my Mom’s who would have been 100 this year.  And were she here — and never assume she’s not — I know that we all share that gratitude, admiration and support for their achievements this month of May.

Rob Peters is a semi-retired counselor at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill. He’s both taught and counseled students for more than 30 years.

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