We watched you grow day by day,
seems it was a long long way,
to see you come and let you go,
on wings that needed still to grow.

'Cross that small stone bridge we watched you march,
into a different world, past that rustic arch.
Could those wings survive that mountain's blasts,
deep inside, we knew you'd last.

A part of us flew by your side
as we watched you growing stride by stride,
over four tough years of fighting fears,
long hard days, sweat and tears.

Now you fly both strong and true,
we could not be more proud of you,
to watch you fly to lands so far,
on wings now graced with golden bars.

J. Christopher White