Last Friday night, I had the opportunity to be back on the field at Don Meredith Stadium to celebrate the graduation of the Class of 2026. There’s so much excitement surrounding this special day, the culmination of a 13-year educational journey. It’s a journey we all share. Being back on the MVISD campus brings a flood of memories to mind: countless Friday evenings spent live-streaming football games, the excitement of each touchdown, and that one particular wide-left field goal that we all remember so well.
I don’t know the last time you were in that field. Maybe you were there Friday night. Maybe you were there at the end of football season. Or maybe it was your own graduation. Do you get that feeling of wonder about who you might run into? Someone you know. Someone you haven’t seen in a while. I know I do.
For me, it’s the opportunity to see former students, fellow teachers, or community members from the Chamber, historical, or Main Street. We are a community, after all, and that football field has a certain electricity running through it.
Friday night, I found myself parking near the corner of the far student parking lot. The same parking lot that, just a few years ago, I would monitor as part of my morning duties every three weeks. Maybe if I had arrived an hour earlier, I wouldn’t have gotten my shoes muddy walking across that low spot in the practice field. It wasn’t so bad.
I wasn’t ten feet inside the perimeter of the track before my phone rang.
“I see you! I’m in the middle section about halfway up. We’re waving at you.”
Of course, I immediately started scanning the stands, trying to spot a waving hand. But it simply blended into the dozens of other waving fans, many of whom were using their programs to create a little relief from the heat. I explained my perspective and extended an invitation to meet after the ceremony on the field.
A couple more steps, and the text messages started coming in.
I see you!
I see you.
What a meaningful phrase when you think about it. I acknowledge your presence. I’m excited that you’re here. “Hey, there he is. Let’s make contact.” All of that wrapped up into three simple words.
I see you.
It’s a blessing to be seen. It’s encouraging to be acknowledged. And we can all use a little more of that. It’s such a light phrase to send, yet it carries so much meaning.
The night continued on. Smiling faces walked onto the field, waving to the crowd. Loud horns sounded. Cheers erupted. Voices shouted, “We love you!” Encouraging words of affirmation bubbled up from every direction. There was a shared sense of accomplishment for those wearing robes of purple.
We’re proud of our graduates, aren’t we?
I see you.
Our community also took a moment to acknowledge that we see the pain, too. Two empty chairs reminded us that we see those who mourn. It was an acknowledgment that no one takes their place and that we do not ignore any of our own.
We are Tigers.
This is also our call to action.
I imagine most of us have already followed through on this for those closest to us. But let’s take it a step further. Let’s share an I see you with those we haven’t seen in a while. The acquaintances we’ve convinced ourselves it’s been too long to contact. The people whose names require us to check our phones to see if we still have their numbers.
If you do, go ahead and send it.
I see you.
You never know how those words will land with an old friend. You never know how uplifting they might be to someone walking through doubt, loneliness, or heartache. Such simple words, shared so easily, can ripple through the remainder of a person’s day.
I left encouraged Friday night. Excited to see some of the very students I had the privilege of teaching reach graduation with smiles on their faces. And as I made my way back to my car, one last phone call came from someone I hadn’t seen or heard from in nearly a year.
“Are you still here? I just wanted to say hi.”
I’ll tell you, that walk back across the muddy spot in the practice field was well worth it. It gave me one more opportunity to say, face to face, to an old friend:
I see you.
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