A countdown of lasts

I was on my way to the exam room when I found myself humming Great Is Thy Faithfulness. Emotions surged within me as I pondered on the song's lyrics, especially this line:

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Just when was it when I first walked into my first class in UP? And here I was, I thought, armed with my notes I hardly read the night before, about to take my last exam in undergrad.

The past few days have been trying. The physical, mental, and emotional assaults of thesis work have taken their toll on me. Sleepless, tired, and drained, I had no idea when all of these would end—or if they ever would.

Thankfully . . . they are. This morning I submitted my bound manuscript. After it was signed for approval, I pored over it time and again, savoring the fruits of hard labor.

I loitered in the lobby, waiting for familiar faces to come up, and as I felt my tummy cry out in hunger, I walked out of Albert Hall with the overwhelming feeling that cannot be summed up in words.

I'm finally graduating.