For the Graduates
We are in graduation season. I attended the pre-school graduation of my very not-so-stage-frightened niece, Annabeth this morning. She was fabulous as only she can be. Saturday was Maryville high’s and tonight is William Blount and Heritage. Even the University of Tennessee graduates last week and more this week. Many popular figures and politicians are invited to speak at these graduations to offer some “life lessons” for the graduates. Since the chance of me getting invited to speak at one of these ceremonies is slightly better than the snowball’s chance I thought I would write one anyway and share it with you. You’re excited I’m sure. But, here goes anyway:
“Ladies and gentlemen, family and friends, distinguished guests, and colleagues (haha I thought that fit), today we all put a mark on the calendar of life. Another milestone achieved, another box checked, and maybe for some, an unexpected surprise.
You will wake up tomorrow and no longer be a high school student. Those days are behind you now and your future is before you. Success can be secured. Yes, I said that you can ensure success. I know there are uncertainties but success is measured with different devices by different people. Some measure success in money, fame, material possessions, and/or titles and social standing. But real success is hard to imagine at such a young age. Not impossible but difficult. Please don’t stop listening because you think I am talking down to you because I’m not. As a matter of fact, this is more an indictment on my generation than an accusation of yours.
My generation’s calling was to prepare you for yours. We were supposed to get you ready for real life instead of protecting you from what we thought was a bad rap that we had. We were expected to work for what we got. We were expected to be respectful to authority and be generous and helpful. Our teachers always received the benefit of the doubt when questions arose because they were the adults. There were consequences to our actions that were usually on par for what we had chosen.
But, in great numbers, my generation failed you. We failed you by coddling you. We failed you by excusing your laziness for the “benefit” that we didn’t have when we were young. You see just a few short years ago our economy was robust. Jobs everywhere and the United States of America was on its way up. And because of that we fell short on expectations. We got lazy and allowed you to as well. We gave in to the pressure that you were little adults and gave you too much freedom to become who you “felt” you should be instead of leading you in the way you should go. We allowed you to disrespect teachers, coaches, administrators, and adults because you didn’t “feel” like you were being treated fairly. We allowed you to fail but instead of learning from the consequences of failure we shielded you from those so you wouldn’t experience failure, only see it happen.
We allowed you to forget about God. Not by taking him out of schools (our parents effectively did that when the majority of them didn’t act in time) but by not taking Him into our homes and into our hearts. We effectively compartmentalized God by only allowing him access to the places that we felt we needed him. We pray over our food as a show to those in the food places and attend church as a status symbol but we never really spend time with God. We didn’t force you to attend church with us because we wanted you to find your own way and because we wanted to be your friend more than your parent. Yes, I consider all that a failure.
But tonight marks a new night for you. More importantly tomorrow is a new day. I encourage you to not make our mistakes a lifestyle. Get up tomorrow and go to work. Whether at a school, a hobby, or a career. Don’t waste a day of your life feeling sorry for yourself. There are enough politicians that will do that for you as a way to get reelected. Respect those around you. Not because it will gain you anything but it’s the right thing to do. Fail! I mean fail big because you tried big! Failure is not a sign of who you are but hopefully of what you’ve learned. Don’t wait on anyone else and don’t blame anyone else. Decide tonight that even if you don’t know what you want to be when you grow up that you WILL grow up anyway.
Love God. His ways are best no matter what you have heard. Remember that you aren’t as smart as you think you are and you’re not as stupid as others may think you are. You are who God made you to be and you should live your life to be just that.
Tomorrow is a new day. If you want to change the world then change yourself. Don’t concern yourself so much in what everyone else is doing wrong but be fierce in doing what is right yourself. (And getting more passion in my voice and getting closer to the microphone) Live out loud in front of the world. You cannot change yesterday but you can affect tomorrow. Graduates of 2012, become the greatest generation! Don’t settle for mediocrity but strive for greatness! Greatness is inside of you, but you, and only you can unleash it on the world!
Tomorrow is a new day. Live it! Love it! Make the world a better place because you are in it. Make the people around you better because they know you.
Tomorrow is a new day. Make it a better day!
Congratulations, thank you, and may God bless you always!”
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