From our weekly issue dated May 28, 2008

It’s about time, in more ways than one for some graduates for commencement exercises, speeches, parties and other mind-boggling events for this year’s flock of soon-to-be high school diplomates.

For me, “commencement” means an ending and a beginning. The Pomp and Circumstance happenings on Wednesday, June 4 will signal the end of high school education for the Illinois Valley High School Class of 2008. But it also will signify the beginning of … of what? Of whatever comes next: a four-year college, a two-year college, marriage, a trade school, hanging out, seeking a job, looking for one’s bearings, or wondering what happened and now what?

Hopefully what will come next will not involve tragedy or an ill-fated venture. As one mentor I knew was fond of saying, “Don’t do stupid things.”

My own high school graduation during the past century was held at night. In the dark. Just as some of my fellow graduates were, and I wasn’t far behind as far as knowing what to do next or what direction to take. We thought we knew about everything there is to know, and that we were invincible. We were going to run shouting in victory, climb Mt. Everest nonstop, and make about a million dollars a year in a dream job. Didn’t work out that way.

Reality set in. There is no free lunch. The Tooth Fairy will come no more. Santa Claus could be too busy to visit next Christmas. There are few jobs with a starting salary of a million bucks a year. There are bills to pay, responsibilities to shoulder, more lessons to be learned. We are accountable for our own decisions and the inevitable consequences.

It’s great to be optimistic though. Optimism and humor can make life much easier. Just remember some of the truths of life, perhaps as Mark Twain put it in two comments (among many): “A person with a new idea is a crank until the idea succeeds.” And, “A round man cannot be expected to fit in a square hole right away. He must have time to modify his shape.”

Also, remember the insightful comment by Shakespeare, “To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.”

I would add: Kill your TV set. Exercise. Eat wisely. Treat others as you would like them to treat you. Read books and newspapers. Help those less fortunate than you. Honor your mother and father. Pray. Omit needless words. Stop to admire and sniff flowers. Be careful. Smile because you live in the greatest country in the world. And remember what Russell Baker stated during a commencement talk:

“When you get out there in the world, try not to make it any worse than it already is.”