My_Daughter-the_College_Graduate

MY DAUGHTER (RICKETA NATALIE JOHNSON)-THE COLLEGE GRADUATE MY DAUGHTER-THE COLLEGE GRADUATE HAS AN EXCITING AND THRILLING RING TO IT. IT IS NO SECRET THAT AS HER PARENTS- ROSALIND AND I WANT THE BEST FOR OUR DAUGHTER. WE ARE NO DIFFERENT FROM ALL PARENTS WHO WANT THERE CHILDREN TO SUCCEED, AS WELL AS, EXPERIENCE A QUALITY OF LIFE THAT IS BETTER THAN THE ONE THAT WE AS PARENTS HAVE LIVED. WE HAVE TRIED TO PROVIDE RICKETA WITH EVERYTHING WITHIN OUR POWER WITH THE SOLE PURPOSE THAT SHE WILL EXCEL AS A MATURE BLACK WOMAN AND TAKE HER RIGHTFUL PLACE IN SOCIETY. WE WANT RICKETA TO BE A PRODUCTIVE MEMBER OF SOCIETY, THINK INDEPENDENTLY, AND TO MAKE WISE AND JUST DECISIONS. RICKETA ENTERED THIS WORLD ON SEPTEMBER 11, 1985, AT SINAI HOSPITAL. AND I MUST CONFESS SINCE HER ARRIVAL, SHE HAS BEEN NOTHING SHORT OF A PURE DELIGHT. THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY TENSION OR SUSPENSE, ALONG THE WAY. WE, AS PARENTS, CONVENIENTLY TRY TO EITHER FORGET THE ADVERSIAL, BAD, OR TROUBLING TIMES WITH OUR CHILDREN. HOWERVER, I JUST STOP BY TO TELL YOU THAT DESPITE ALL THE TUMULTOUS AND DIFFICULT TIMES, I WOULD NOT TRADE RICKETA FOR ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD, OR TEA IN CHINA. CAN I GET A WITNESS' I WILL ALWAYS, TO THE DAY THAT I DIE, BE INDEBTED TO ROSALIND FOR GIVING ME A SENSATIONAL AND OUTSTANDING DAUGHTER. RICKETA NATALIE JOHNSON WILL ALWAYS BE MY BABY NO MATTER HOW OLD SHE BECOMES. CAN I GET A WITNESS' NOW WHAT CAN I TELL YOU ABOUT RICKETA THAT YOU DON’T ALREADY KNOW' NEARLY ALL OF YOU IN ATTENDANCE TODAY HAVE EITHER SPENT TIME WITH HER, OR HAVE DEVELOPED SOME KIND OF RELATIONSHIP WITH HER. SHE’S SOMETHING ELSE, AIN’T SHE' SHE IS VERY KIND, SWEET AND COMPASSIONATE, JUST LIKE HER MOTHER. SHE IS VERY UNSELFISH AND SHE ALWAYS HAS YOUR BACK, PARTICULARLY IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY. SHE CAN LIFT YOUR SPIRITS WHEN THE CHIPS ARE DOWN. SHE CAN BRING SUNSHINE TO YOUR DAY, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT IS HAZY OR CLOUDY. OH YES!!! THIS CHILD IS THE APPLE OF HER DADDY’S EYE. CAN I GET A WITNESS' WE HAVE WATCHED RICKETA GROW, FROM ADOLESCENT TO A FULL-GROWN ADULT. SHE HAD SOARED THROUGH THE AIR, LIKE AN EAGLE, IN HER PROGRESSION FROM GRADE SCHOOL TO MIDDLE SCHOOL. FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL TO HIGH SCHOOL, SHE CLIMBED THE SKY LIKE A JET PILOT, WHERE SHE SPORTED THE COLORS OF THE BLACK & ORANGE OF THE BALTIMORE CITY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL. (HEY BLACK, HEY ORANGE, YOU LOOK SO GOOD TO ME!!! HEY! HEY! BLACK, HEY ORANGE, YOU LOOK SO GOOD TO ME!!). EXCUSE ME FOLKS, I GOT A LITTLE CAUGHT UP THERE FOR A MOMENT!). AND FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO COLLEGE, SHE SKY ROCKETED FOR THE MOON, AS IF SHE WAS AN ASTRONAUT, WHERE SHE SPORTED THE COLORS OF BLUE & ORANGE AND BECAME A MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY BEAR! CAN I GET A WITNESS'''' THE QUESTION NOW BECOMES WHERE DO RICKETA GO FROM HERE' THE ANSWER IS VERY SIMPLE. RICKETA WILL GO WHERE RICKETA WANTS TO GO. QUITE FRANKLY, I HOPE SHE CONTINUES TO STAY AMBITIOUS AND REACH FOR THE STARS. WHEREVER OR WHATEVER SHE CHOOSES TO DAY, RICKETA CAN BE RE-ASSURED THAT HER MOTHER AND I WILL SUPPORT HER AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE YOUR ROCK. RICKETA NATALIE JOHNSON AS YOU MATRICULATE FROM MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY AND YOUR JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE CONTINUES, YOU CARRY THE LEGACY OF FAMILY MEMBERS WHO HAVE GONE ON TO GLORY. AS WE GATHER HERE TODAY, I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THOSE FAMILY MEMBERS ARE LOOKING DOWN UPON YOU TONIGHT AND BEAMING WITH PRIDE. CAN I GET A WITNESS''' RICKETA HERE’S HOPING THAT YOUR MATRICULATION FROM MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY WILL BE THE GATEWAY THAT FOLLOWS A PATH TO LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT THAT RESULTS IN SUCCESS. CONGRADULATIONS DEAR DAUGHTER FOR YOU HAVE ONCE AGAIN, MADE US PROUD. I LOVE YOU RICKETA NATALIE JOHNSON. MAY THE LORD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU IN HIS MIDST!!!!!!