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...