As May draws to a close, the biggest of deals is the abundance of local graduation ceremonies.

Cue the standard remarks from graduation speeches, such as this platitude from renowned motivational speaker Tony Robbins: “The only impossible journey is the one you never begin,” which is as corny as it is accurate. (I prefer wisecracks about the real world, such as comedian Rodney Dangerfield’s quip: “You gotta look out for No. 1, but don’t step in No. 2.”)

An oft-used synonym for graduation is commencement, stemming from the French term commencer, which means to “start” – as in starting the next stage of one’s life. That’s right, soon as you achieve one goal, you must get cracking on another.

In any language, this time of year marks a transitional stretch as we stand the precipice of June.

Here is the point where I ought to reminisce about my own high school graduation, if I could actually recall that day from decades ago. One stray recollection: I was careful not to drop my diploma and – after receiving it – tried not to tumble down the stage’s steps.

In recent years, I’ve heard a lion’s share of teasing from youths, including a family nephew: “What was it like attending a one-room schoolhouse?” and “Were you the inspiration for that show Little House on the Prairie?”

Here’s hoping those young rascals face similar verbal darts in 40 years, by which time I will be pushing up daisies.

After the spectacle of high school commencement commands the stage, the more somber grip of Memorial Day (May 26) takes hold.

The holiday is unlike any other, prompting feelings of remembrance, sorrow and gratitude toward those who died in service to America. It was once known as Decoration Day, a term harboring too festive a connotation.

Less than two weeks later, on June 6, we reflect on the remnants of D-Day (1944), when upward of 2,500 Americans perished. The storming of Omaha Beach in Normandy was masterfully depicted in the film Saving Private Ryan’s opening sequence, as that fateful day’s agonizing reality resonated through the screen.

As our busy calendars melt into mid-June, the nation turns its collective gaze from D-Day’s gravity to a lighter and warmer vibe. It’s typically a time to unwind, decompress and “relax” on vacation, if you’re fortunate enough to have one on the summer horizon.

Me? No choice but to live vicariously through folks who are on the verge of recess and sabbaticals.

As the late Ella Fitzgerald sang: Summertime and the livin’ is easy...