Letter to the Graduate

Here is a letter written to my nephew on his high school graduation.

Congratulations on your achievement.  You are awarded a certificate for a mission well accomplished.  This is your day to celebrate.  The real celebration is that you have now jumped up one rung on the long, difficult ladder of life. 

Yet, your life so far and to come will be a bounty of achievements. Celebrate, enjoy, and remember these. This is important.   Life will also deliver to you an assortment of failures, some from bad luck and others from bad judgment.  Learn the difference.  Learn from these, but do not allow them to dominate your pathway.  Too many do so, causing their gradual defeat in the game of living.

Your memory is most important; after years it becomes what you are.  It is your stamp of uniqueness.  It is a personal warehouse of you - your experiences, your expertise, your achievements, your loves, and so much of everything you will have become. Cherish your memory, but control it because it can be an errant and often irrational partner.  Please do not let it gush up on you with past failures, dwelling on shortcomings.  Don’t let it pester you with reasons why you can’t.  Try to forget transgressions. Stay positive always! 

Work hard with deliberate speed and intelligence.  Keep high your moral principles.  Stay honest though you may see deceit succeed.  Stay faithful, though you may see expedience get ahead. Stay truthful, though lies seem to work for others.   I know you will.

Your family is an extraordinary bit of luck for you. Not many are so blessed. Through your dad, uncle, and grandfather you have great role models, the best. As well, your mom, aunt, and grandmother are fantastic models of compassion and love.