We are grandparents who have always been very involved in the lives of our four grandchildren. They are very precious to us. We have been there when they were christened into the church, for their preschool graduations, their Baptisms, their promotions from fifth grade to the middle school, all band concerts, beauty pageants – well, everything that has been important to them.

We have just learned that our two grandchildren’s high school graduations from two area high schools are scheduled for the same night. For all of their lives – all 18 years – we have looked forward to seeing them get their diplomas, joining in the happiness and celebration, but that will be impossible since Andalusia and Straughn both have graduation services on May 26.

My husband and I will literally have to draw names or flip a coin to see which of us will attend which graduation. This is so unfair. My mother is in her 80s and will fly here from West Palm Beach, Fla., (more than 600 miles each way). She thinks she’s coming here to see both great-grandchildren graduate. We have extended family driving from all over Alabama.

Our grandson is a third-generation AHS graduate. We’d be so proud to be there, together. Our granddaughter’s graduation from Straughn is equally special to us.

Perhaps in the future, the principals or superintendents could sit down together once a year for 30 minutes (or a conference call) and plan graduations for different nights, so other grandparents won’t have to make this choice. Even a 2 p.m. Saturday or Sunday ceremony would not be unrealistic.

We hope this letter will change this for others.

Larry and Gail Mullen,

Andalusia