Touching Grass at a High School Graduation

[DISCLAIMER]

In a blogpost entitled Touching Grass With Smashing Pumpkins (2024), I discussed an event in which I attended a concert with a high school buddy, his wife, and their daughter who was a senior in high school at the time. Herein, I’ll refer to the daughter as “Ariadne.”

Recently, I attended Ariadne’s high school graduation. The event was held at the University of North Texas (UNT), which to my disappointment displayed the UNT Battle Flag—a Texas flag with the color green instead of shades and colors representing red, white, and blue.

Having been born and predominately raised in Texas, I wasn’t keen on the altered flag. The color red represents bravery, the shade white stands for purity, and the color blue symbolizes loyalty. Personally, there’s no need to negate such symbolism. Regarding this matter, one source states:

Travelers on I-35 near Denton can’t help but notice they’re in Mean Green country […] In place of the blue field on the Texas flag, [Jim] Hobdy chose the shade of green used for the athletics teams. For the red field, he chose the “Hayden Fry-era green” of the 1970s, famously lime in color.

Fortunately, I practiced Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) and remained un-disturbed by what I considered to have been an affront to the Texas flag. For the record, I don’t like that my alma mater (the University of Texas at Austin) has also altered the Texas flag.

Alas, I practiced unconditional acceptance by recognizing that I have no control or influence about such matters. Therefore, I was merely disappointed by my beliefs about perceived disrespect by UNT’s green flag, in association with those who died in support of the Texas flag.

Besides, I was in attendance for Ariadne’s gradation, not to illogically or unreasonably contend with personal narratives about a university flag. Moreover, the Touch Grass category of my blog directly relates to interfacing with the real-world, not self-disturbing about an ideal-world.

Thus, touching grass at a high school graduation relates to gratitude. Bear in mind that it was 30 years ago that Ariadne’s dad and I graduated from Amarillo High School. All the years which have lapsed since then have led to a point at which I was able to support my buddy’s daughter.

Given that I’ve seen friendships come and go, I’m grateful to have remained in contact with Ariadne’s dad and become friends with his wife. Likewise, I’m thankful that Ariadne knows me as “Uncle Deric.” To Ariadne and her siblings, I’m family. About this fact, I remain grateful.

Aside from an inconsequential quibble about the UNT Battle Flag, can you relate to the theme of this blogpost? Do you have elements in your life about which you can express gratitude, or do you instead fixate on petty topics which cloud your judgment and deprive you from connection?

If you’re looking for a provider who tries to work to help understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life—helping you to sharpen your critical thinking skills, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.

As a psychotherapist, I’m pleased to try to help people with an assortment of issues ranging from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.

At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply trying to help you to feel better, I want to try to help you get better!

Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW

References:

Hollings, D. (n.d.). Blog – Categories: Touch grass. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/blog/categories/touch-grass

Hollings, D. (2022, May 17). Circle of concern. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/circle-of-concern

Hollings, D. (2022, March 15). Disclaimer. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/disclaimer

Hollings, D. (2024, May 17). Feeling better vs. getting better. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/feeling-better-vs-getting-better-1

Hollings, D. (2023, April 5). For what it’s worth, I’m grateful. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/for-what-it-s-worth-im-grateful

Hollings, D. (2023, October 12). Get better. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/get-better

Hollings, D. (n.d.). Hollings Therapy, LLC [Official website]. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/

Hollings, D. (2024, April 27). Ideal-world vs. real-world. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/ideal-world-vs-real-world

Hollings, D. (2025, April 23). Judgment. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/judgment

Hollings, D. (2023, September 19). Life coaching. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/life-coaching

Hollings, D. (2023, January 8). Logic and reason. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/logic-and-reason

Hollings, D. (2024, May 5). Psychotherapist. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/psychotherapist

Hollings, D. (2022, March 24). Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT). Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/rational-emotive-behavior-therapy-rebt

Hollings, D. (2022, November 1). Self-disturbance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/self-disturbance

Hollings, D. (2025, February 28). To try is my goal. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/to-try-is-my-goal

Hollings, D. (2025, April 18). Tolerable FADs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/tolerable-fads

Hollings, D. (2024, September 12). Touching grass with Smashing Pumpkins. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/touching-grass-with-smashing-pumpkins

Hollings, D. (2024, October 20). Unconditional acceptance redux. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/unconditional-acceptance-redux

Hollings, D. (2023, July 7). When idealism doesn’t stack up to realism. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/when-idealism-doesn-t-stack-up-to-realism

University Coop. (n.d.). State of Texas Longhorns logo flag - 3 ft x 5 ft. Retrieved from https://www.universitycoop.com/State-of-Texas-Longhorns-Flag

UNT. (2017, November 30). UNT battle flag flies high. University of North Texas. Retrieved from https://northtexan.unt.edu/issues/2017-winter/unt-battle-flag-flies-high.html