Iron Ring
At long last, after four years of intensive education, I was deemed worthy
of receiving the mark of the engineer, the Iron Ring. The entire day was
centered around this highly secretive ceremony. There was much drinking,
remembering the past, colleagues who did not make it, and meeting those who
have graduated in recent years who have gone on to the routine of endless
daily work.
The ring, now stainless steel in favour of wrought iron, represents the ideals and ethics of engineering. I feel the years of hard work much more complete with it than I could with any diploma. I also felt closer to my whole graduating class than ever before. It may be surprising, but that's what happens when you focus your goals on achieving that one thing. I feel I have not been as forthcoming socially as in the last few years, mostly because of increasing business, but I got the impression today that people understood all of that.
It was a good day. I am ready for the much anticipated "home stretch."