’Tis the season of graduation parties.

The year before A graduated, we were invited to a few, but although he had a few older friends, we hadn’t been in quite the same circles long enough to have the entire family attend every party.

Last year, however, the parties were for all the kids he’d been together with since elementary school. We, as parents, had grown up volunteering for sports teams and PTA events and had, for better or worse, become like family.

This year isn’t much better. Although we have a year off from graduation celebrations ourselves, the kids who are graduating this year are the contents of the boys’ sandwich.

They’re the kids who would be the young ones on the team when A was the old one, and the old ones when G was the young one. They’re the kids who looked up to A and the kids who then turned into role models for G. Many of them, particularly the girls, also adopted E as the little sister who was ever present.

As I was perusing a photo board at one recent party, I realized just how many of their memories I shared, and just how many photos from all stages of their lives my own kids were in. While some of the memories were certainly humorous, I couldn’t help but choke up a little when I started to think about how much we’re going to miss these kids.

I’m sure I felt all these things last year, but our own chaos kept me from getting too emotional about all of it. A was also so focused on his own future and what was coming next that it was easy to let the goodbyes happen quickly. This year, however, since I have nothing else to occupy my time, it’s a little easier to dwell on the impact that this year’s seniors have had on my own kids and how much we’re all going to miss them.

In addition to knowing these kids because they’ve grown up beside my own, I also know many of them as a coach. Over the years, many of them have been on the swim team. Some of them became my kids’ friends because of swim team, and others were “persuaded” to join the team by my kids. Either way, I’ve watched them develop their work ethic, face challenges and succeed.

This group is also part of the group that navigated the pandemic with us. These were the teammates who supported one another when parents and other fans were in minimal attendance. These were the kids who rallied with my kids when they had to work on projects remotely and over Zoom-type meetings. Somehow, through all of that, their friendships only grew stronger.

And, of course, these are the kids who stood by my own kids when they faced a world without their father. Steve was an integral part of many of these kids’ lives, as well, having tagged along to scout camps and gotten down on the mats at wrestling practices. These kids managed their own loss and helped my kids to pick up the pieces of their lives.

“Show me who your friends are, and I’ll show you who you are.” I think about this statement a lot when it comes to the people who have landed, whether intentionally or by happenstance, in my kids’ lives.

As I watch my kids join a party where they are welcomed with hugs and back slaps, where gentle joshing is present between everyone playing cornhole or volleyball, I see who all of them are and I know how lucky we are.

I won’t embarrass any of them, or my kids, by writing all the sappy stuff I feel in their cards, but that doesn’t stop me from thinking it. Instead, it will be semi-trite congratulations on their accomplishments and heartfelt best wishes for their future endeavors.

Inside, though, I will be thinking how proud I am of all their accomplishments, how grateful I am that they’ve been good friends to my children, and how lucky this world is to have them in it.

While graduation is a time to look to the future, the commencement of many new things, it is also a time to rest on some laurels. To all of the 2025 graduates, enjoy the celebration.

Take a moment to enjoy where you are and all that you have accomplished. Take a moment to look around and know that the people you’ve surrounded yourself with have helped you on that journey and are incredibly proud of where you have arrived.

My advice to you echoes the old song I learned many years ago at Girl Scout camp. Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold. Congratulations on all you have accomplished and best wishes on your future endeavors.

Liz Pinkey’s column appears on Saturdays in the Times News