Congratulations to All the Classes of 2014!

Isabella reporting,

As you've probably noticed, we've been very quiet (ok, silent) on the blog and on Twitter these last few days. While Loretta has been wowing the crowds of book-folk in New York at Book Expo, I've been up in Cambridge, MA to see my daughter receive her Master in Urban Planning from the Harvard Graduate School of Design.

How many graduations we all sit through over the years! There are all of our own as well as those honoring friends, spouses, neighbors, children and grandchildren, from nursery school through university, academies, special programs, and training schools. Whenever and wherever they occur, graduations are always occasions for looking back and looking forward, for happiness for all that's been accomplished and anticipation for the next step, for joy and pride and relief and a few tears, and also, perhaps, a bit of silliness. (Yes, it was my kid who smuggled the beach balls into the high school graduation.)

Congratulations and good luck to all the 2014 graduates, and a great big thank you to all the families, friends, and teachers who helped them get there.

A bonus: Only at Harvard would the unidentified soloist listed in the program turn out to be Aretha Franklin singing the National Anthem. Here's her performance, and it's just amazing.

Look for Breakfast Links to return next Sunday. Promise.