Last Saturday, I had the privilege of attending Easley High’s graduation ceremony. I know for many it was bitter sweet – 2012 is the last class that can claim roaming the hall of the historic buildings for their entire high school career. Change. This is the one constant in life on which we can always depend. Without change, there is no growth. No evolution. Difficult as it can be at times, change can be an incredibly positive experience.
While I offer these words of wisdom to all of those seniors in Pickens County – recent graduates who will be heading off in a new direction – I would like to note that I am very proud of my ‘adopted’ daughter, Kaiteland. I have had the honor of being her second mom and watching her grow into an amazing young woman these last few years. She graduated among the Easley High class on Saturday, and I beamed with pride as they called her name and I got to watch her walk across the stage.
In the almost two decades it has been since I graduated from high school, I think the most important lesson I have learned is that we truly never stop learning. There are so many things we learn from books and from our teachers, but there is an equal education we receive living life, making mistakes and tackling new challenges. If I were giving a commencement speech, I would urge everyone to be receptive to each and every opportunity life offers you to learn more about yourself and the world around you.
The acquisition of knowledge is a process that really has no end but one must be open to embracing the experiences that will allow us to learn and grow.
My other piece of advice would be not to wish your life away by constantly focusing on what tomorrow might bring. Don’t get me wrong – I certainly believe in thinking ahead and planning for the future, but not at the expense of ignoring the present moments with which we are gifted.
Tomorrow is never a guarantee.
When I was in high school, I couldn’t wait to be in college. When I was in college, I couldn’t wait to go to graduate school. Looking back, I wish I had taken the time to thoroughly enjoy each and every course I took, to more completely cherish the friendships I had and the lack of true adult responsibility. You will have plenty of real-world, grown-up responsibilities in the form of jobs and bills soon enough.
Find your passion and what you love to do with your time. I have degrees in English and Counseling because I love people and I love language, literature and writing. Maybe it was unwise to choose a career path that would not afford me the opportunity to measure my success by how much money I earned in each paycheck. However, every job I have ever had – be it teaching, counseling or writing, has made me happy.
I have measured my successes by the fact that I enjoy going to work and that what I do makes a difference in the lives of others in some form or fashion.
The last piece of advice I have to offer is from Steve Jobs 2005 Stanford commencement speech. Having not heeded this advice in my younger years, these words have had a profound impact on my life over this last year.
“Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know [what you love] when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle. Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And, most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become.”
Congratulations to the 2012 graduates of Pickens County and a very warm ‘shout out’ to my dear Kaiteland. I am so very proud of you. You are an amazing young woman with so much heart and oodles of talent. It is entirely my honor to be your second mommy. Listen to what is deep inside you – to what stirs your soul – and follow your heart knowing that there are so many people who believe in you, support you and love you more than words could ever say. Congratulations!
