It's Graduation Day for Daddy Too
- Allan Shedlin
- 12 hours ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 7 hours ago
Guest Post by Anthony Fleg, MD
D3F Circle of Friends and DCG DADvisory Team Member
EDITOR'S NOTE: We are in the midst of the annual milestone season when graduations trigger intense emotions and reflections; when tenderness finds its way to the surface. Our editor, Scott Beller, aptly titles this week's piece written by our DADvisory Teammate, Anthony Fleg, as a dual graduation. As Anthony notes, his daughter, Nizhoni Rose, is "crossing the stage" to accept her diploma. And in many ways, Mommy and Daddy are also crossing a stage as their firstborn child leaves the nest they've provided. It is my hope that such milestone moments remind us to savor all the moments that lead up to all our graduations. – Allan Shedlin
The following guest post first appeared on Anthony's Writing to Heal blog on May 19, 2026. We have reprinted it here with his permission:
Nizhoni,
This is daddy here, writing to tell you how proud Mom and I, and all of these people reading this blog, are of you.
You are crossing the stage this evening and will become a graduate of Albuquerque High School. You will soon enter into the next chapter in your education at Colorado University-Boulder. Ayani' (buffalo)Â is a sacred animal, and as the mascot of CU-Boulder, you are in good hands. Thanks for not choosing a school too far away.
I am really proud of who you are as a young Dine' woman, a person with high morals and faith. You are a go-getter, and have excelled in many arenas during these last years. I expect even more flowers to blossom in these years ahead.
But really? You are already graduating?
Why so soon?
You arrived two months into Shannon and me moving across the country to start life in New Mexico. I was a resident and would make sure to have you and momma up for dinner each evening on my 30-hour shifts, knowing it would brighten all of our days.
I love you, Nizhoni. Ayo'nishnii.
Continue to walk that beautiful path toward Allah/Creator in humility, with gratitude, and full of joy.
* * *
For everyone who has helped raise our daughter, as it takes a village – and you are that village – a huge hug to each of you. And if you are also celebrating a graduate this season, I hope Shannon and I have been that same support for your child's journey.
P.S. I think back to another blog I once curated of my first experiences with you. Sorry, in advance, for any embarrassment those pics might cause. Not really – they are worth sharing.
Daddying Film Festival & Forum 2027
Fathers' Day, June 21, 2026
Save the Dates: The 6th annual, virtual Daddying Film Festival will take place on Eventive, January 11-20, 2027, and our LIVE Daddying Film Forum will screen Atticus Award winners and finalists, January 29-30, 2027! Start planning your submissions now for the D3F 2027 Call for Entries, which opens this Fathers' Day, June 21st. More D3F news to come!
Anthony Fleg, MD, is a proud daddy of four, husband, son, and brother. Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, he has called New Mexico home since 2008. He is a family physician and educator at the University of New Mexico's Department of Family and Community Medicine and College of Population Health. He's also Coordinator and Co-Founder of the love-funded partnership and Daddying Film Festival & Forum (D3F) Circle of Friends member, Native Health Initiative(NHI), and its Running Medicine program, both of which DCG's Daddy Appleseed Fund is a proud supporter. In addition to being a regular Daddying blog contributor, he is one of our longest-serving DADvisory Team members. Follow Anthony’s Writing to Heal blog here. His book, Writing to Heal: A Pandemic Journey to Healing is available through Community Publishing.
