As We Turn the Page

By ISABELLA CUADRADO

As graduation approaches, we often think about grades, college plans, and goodbyes.  However, this moment isn’t just a celebration of academic milestones.  This moment is about the quiet lessons we’ve learned, the friendships that shaped us, and the ways we’ve grown.  These memories were sometimes through joy, and sometimes through pain.

In Washingtonville, many of our seniors are reflecting on the people and moments that left a mark.  Some friendships lasted, some didn’t.  Both mattered because growing up isn’t just about moving forward; it's about carrying what we’ve learned, honoring what we’ve been, and finding meaning in the inbetween.  

The following poem is a reflection of this journey on learning to go without forgetting, on finding peace in change, and on saying goodbye with gratitude rather than regret:

In class today, a thought was shared,

A moment that made me feel unprepared.

Mrs. C. spoke, calm and true

About knowing ourselves and what we do.

She said it helps to understand,

Why we react, where we stand.

And it made me pause, made me see,

That sometimes, we need to dig deep.

But learning comes in quiet ways,

In growing pains and shifting days.

This year, I learned to pause, reflect,

To feel, forgive, and self-correct.

I’ve learned that hurt can wear a mask,

That anger’s just a harder task

Our hearts will take to guard the pain,

A way to cope, a kind of rain.

Yet still, I smile at what we shared,

The secrets told, the way we cared.

A world of “always,” soft and sure,

And though it’s gone, I’d still see it through.

We used to laugh like sisters do,

A team of dreams, just me and you.

I thought we’d grow through every stage,

From high school halls to wedding days.

But things have changed, and that’s okay.

Not all bright skies are meant to stay.

So here I write, to find some peace,

To let the noise and sadness cease.

I still remember all the light,

The jokes, the talks, those Friday nights.

And though we walk our paths apart,

I hold no hate inside my heart.

As we throw our caps into the sky,

And walk past lockers one last time,

I’m learning endings don’t erase

The beauty of a shared safe place.

To growing up, and growing wise,

To learning truths behind the eyes.

To writing feelings, soft and strong,

And knowing where our hearts belong.

I’m letting go, but holding tight

The joy, the laughter, and the light.

Our chapter ends, but that’s okay,

New stories are to come our way.

So thank you for the part you played,

In all the memories we made.

This is goodbye, but not the end,

Just the turning of the page, my friend.