If you ever have to give a commencement address, consider giving this one. It was offered up by a friend of mine who would like to give it, Louis Schmier, in the Department of History at Valdosta State, GA. Perhaps someone out there can give it for him one day. If you did, I am sure it would be talked about for years to come.
"Okay, folks. I know you've got your degrees because you're sitting there crowded together wearing those sweaty medieval robes and silly looking hats. You don't really want to hear me, do you? You're not really interested in reflecting, are you? And, you've had your fill of advice, haven't you? You just want to go out and celebrate your survival.
So, I'm going to make sure that you will have had to put up with me for about a minute. Literally! Clock me! I'm just going to say this: the most important aspect of your education is not what happened in the classroom, in the dorm or apartment, in the sorority or fraternity house, in the field house, in the theater wing, or in any campus or off-campus nook and cranny. Your education really has been all about what happened inside you. These years of getting an education are really about experiencing the growing pains of growing up. In fact, you're about to find out that is what your life, and all life, will always be about."
"That's it. Didn't believe me, did you? Now let's get out of here and party. "Make it a good day.
No comments:
Post a Comment