As I prepare to travel to another state to see my oldest granddaughter Grace Bevins graduate from high school, I could only think back to my own graduation 50 years ago.

Yes, I’m that old – although I was the youngest in my class at Williamson High back in 1974, barely 17 years old. (There was no kindergarten back then, so I started first grade at Nolan as a young 5-year-old.)

In fact, I’ve been attending meetings to help plan a 50-year high school reunion.

I was nowhere near mature enough or ready to go out into this big ole world. I was a late bloomer mentally and physically. Believe me when I say I was nowhere near ready to go to work, college or venture out into this world.

I wasn’t the best student, but not the worst – somewhere in the middle. Of course I could have studied harder and done more, and that is something I regret.

I lost my mother in November of my senior year. That was indeed a tough situation for me and my family.

What I have come to realize through the years is that many things that bothered us as teenagers are not worth the worry. Peer pressure is always tough on everyone.

Many people are successful in high school with sports, grades and other accomplishments and that is great, but they do not make a person. Neither does your family situation – whether your family is rich, middle class or poor. These things do not make the character of a person.

Being a kind and good person to your family, friends and everyone you meet are more important qualities in determining one’s long-term fate.

Having faith and religion are also important in life, no matter if you are of Christian faith, Catholic, Jewish or Muslin. Believing in a higher power can help you get through life’s many peaks and valleys.

Believe me there will be good times and bad times in life. That is just the nature of living. We never know what others may be going through at home or in certain situations.

What I really want to get across to my granddaughter and the others who will graduate in the next few years is that being a good person and loving your family is so important.

Years from now, no one will really care who was homecoming or prom king and queen, or who was class president, or who had a car in high school because their family could afford it. It won’t matter whose family had more money than others. It won’t matter who had the latest fashion or name-brand clothes.

Not to say those things aren’t important, but in the scheme of things and the future, they are not at the top of the list.

If you think about it, graduation is costly for parents, grandparents or guardians.

How many of you still have a class ring or know where yours is? Mine is stored away and has collected dust for years. My wife Vicki lost hers on Senior Skip Day at Dewey Lake and never saw it again. I guess I’ll pass my ring on in my will. Maybe they can melt it down and get the gold value out of it.

Then there are senior portraits, invitations to the graduation ceremony, prom gowns or tuxedo rentals and many more costly things for families to pay for.

When my granddaughters are having their 20-year or 50-year reunions they will realize these things. But it would be great to get this message across to teenagers today and not years from now.

The best advice I could give all grads is to be happy with the vocation you choose. Everyone wants to make money and live comfortably, but dreading to get up in the morning and going to a job every day is a hassle. It can make you miserable.

College is great but not for everyone. We need skilled carpenters, plumbers, electricians, coal miners, teachers and many other occupations to be filled. There is nothing wrong with going to a technical or vocational school. So whatever you decide, be happy with the job that you spend at least 40 hours a week at, if not more.

As my favorite writer Mark Twain said, “I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.”

Graduates need to know they can continue to learn throughout life. Common sense and logic are important in making decisions.

I’m a sentimental guy and I know I’ll shed a few tears seeing all of my granddaughters graduate.

Graduation is a huge transition moment in your life. But it’s just one more step toward your future.

God bless all graduates and their families.

(Kyle Lovern is a longtime journalist in the Tug Valley. He is now a retired freelance writer and columnist for the Mountain Citizen.)