Graduation gifts & GUIDANCE

As her daughter begins a new career, Michèle passes on a valuable lesson

- MICHÈLE A'COURT

Best Mother's Day gift ever. This is what I felt driving south to my daughter's university graduation. Education was highly valued in our family.

If my mother had regrets, top of the list was that, in the 1950s, family circumstances meant when she'd moved to Wellington after high school, instead of enrolling at Victoria University, she'd had to work full-time to support herself and didn't ever make it to the campus up the hill.

So she was delighted that both her children grew up and went to Vic. She had our Bachelor of Arts Degrees framed and hung them proudly on the wall.