Commencement

com·mence·ment

kəˈmensmənt/

noun

1. 1.

   a beginning or start.

   "at the commencement of training"

   synonyms:

   beginning, start, opening, outset, onset, launch, initiation, inception, origin; informalkickoff

For most of my life, I've thought the word commencement means an ending. 

Take graduation ceremonies-- also called commencement. Because it's the end of high school, and formal education for many. But that's not it at all. Graduation ceremonies are called Commencements because they mark the true beginning of adult life. The Beginning. 

These thoughts have all been very fresh in my mind as my baby graduated this year. Enter empty nest. And lots of thoughts of ending. 

There's a passage in Scripture that speaks of ends and beginnings, and it's always been curious to me: 

Ecclesiastes 7:8 

The end of a matter is better than its beginning,

    and patience is better than pride.

The end of a matter is better than its beginning. Surely that's a typo. God must have it wrong. I think of everything good that has come to an end. And I'm not much of a crier, but many of those ends have come with tears. But the end is supposed to be better than the beginning. 

The theme of my life seems to be marked by endings lately. A dozen little ends. A few major ones. The end of high school for my youngest. The end of a house with kids. And the latest- the end of our time as strength coaches at our high school. And it all hurts. 

And I'm forced to be at some big beginnings. So, maybe that's the wisdom behind the verse. Because these beginnings aren't great. But I know they'll become amazing because we will learn and grow and become better for having made the beginnings. And the end might just be better.