In addition to covering high school graduations this year, I'm attending my daughter's.

It's made me a little nostalgic.

I was going through some boxes in our spare room the other day, and I happened upon the VHS tape that contained the footage of my own high school graduation. I popped it in, and I was transported back to that balmy May night in 1988.

As the band played its squeaky rendition of "Pomp and Circumstance," I watched the images of my classmates parading down the track (graduations at Quincy High School in Quincy, Mich. are to this day always held outside unless the weather is bad). Then I saw myself come onto the screen, followed by my twin sister Jodi.

I watched the Top 10 give their speeches. I was number 11, so I didn't get to give a speech, but as my sister, who was number 10, gave hers I remembered that I had helped her write and revise it about a million times.

I could still remember it as she read it.

When the part came on where they called my name, I heard my father, who was holding the video camera, and my mother, who was sitting next to him, let out whoops. And I smiled, remembering how very proud of us they were that day.

It's so weird to me that I'm the mom now. I can remember with such clarity when I was the graduate. I remember all the dreams I had. All the aspirations.

I was going places.

At the very end of the tape, my father asks me how I feel to be done with high school. I turn to the camera, smile from ear to ear and exclaim, "Fabulous!"

And I did.

My life hasn't turned out exactly the way I thought it would, but I certainly can't complain. I have a wonderful husband, two children who are healthy and that I adore and a career I enjoy.

I also still talk to a couple of the friends on that videotape of my high school graduation.

I'm blessed.

Congratulations, graduates. I hope when you pull out the videos of your commencement ceremonies 21 years from now you'll have fond memories ... and that you'll also be proud of how far you've come.