Commencement. Whenever we hear that word we think of graduation ceremonies with their sea of gowns and sky full of flying caps, with a few speeches and several hundred names tossed in between.

Yes, graduation is certainly an accomplishment to be celebrated. It unquestionably qualifies as the beginning of a new stage of life. But in that respect, our lives are full of commencements, one after another. In fact, I just commenced a diet yesterday. Yep, celebrated it with an all-you-can-eat cookout. Pomp and potato salad.

But this idea of commencement got me thinking. Just what is the definitive commencement of life? It certainly is not high school. Those kids have been commencing for years.