Party like a kid!

Is it possible to celebrate someone’s graduation from HS or College without getting drunk or wasted? We live close to the largest University, which is Arizona State that has over 80K students. It’s more known for the bikini-clad gals and guys that skateboard all over campus than academics. Each spring we have an overnighter at one of the local resorts to celebrate our graduates from HS and College. It’s exciting to be around teens that have defied the odds from coming out of troubled surroundings to do something that will change their lives forever!

Instead of watching the beer flow we play Uno, Monopoly, go swimming amongst the 10 pools in the resort, eat pizza and enjoy a variety of snacks! It’s amazing to see the power of friendship over the years amongst our kids that have become teens now that we’ve been doing neighborhood work over 9 years. I love to bask in the laughter and silliness of these young adults that are overcoming the challenges of prejudice and racism, which they have grown up around. 

What’s happened to the ability of young adults and even us baby boomers to be able to celebrate life without using some type of mind-altering substance? Is it possible to actually converse and forget being glued to your x-box, PS-4 or texting and do something radical like talk, laugh and have fun together? It’s always exhilarating to watch our little kids enjoy the playground in our local park. They don’t need anything special to have fun and enjoy life.

So I would rather party like a kid, laugh about life and not allow the self-imposed pressures around me to stop me from living!