It may look like you are graduating from school only to head into a world that is upside down — a world where not hugging your grandparents is considered an act of love, where we check the daily Covid count instead of the weather.
But perhaps you are simply armed with the ability to view the world from different perspectives. So much of our happiness depends on HOW WE CHOOSE to see the world.
Today, the world is full of hope. With the end of this pandemic in our sights, in the face of adversity, YOU have achieved the first major milestone in life. Choose to see your resilience and all that it has equipped you with as you embark on the next great journey ahead. For you do so outfitted with a number of life lessons, often learned much later, which will elevate you towards success.
Adapt and Evolve: When things are not going as planned, sometimes you must adapt to a situation in order to change the outcome.
Adversity evokes unknown potential: Adversity has a habit of drawing out hidden skills and talents, which would have lay dormant, in better times.
Hope and Courage: To hope is to dream, to see the light despite the darkness. Making choices that reflect hope over your fears will give you the courage to make those dreams into reality.
As you enter this exciting new chapter to your life, may you do so outfitted with this creed:
To make an impact, you must choose to make a difference.
Remember to give back to the community.
Don’t ever let being the best come before being kind.
Share that kindness. It has a ripple effect and will spread far and wide.
Always think for yourself. Don’t let anyone tell you how or what to think.
Sometimes you have to work the problem to find the solution.
Failure is just another path towards success. Never be afraid to fail. Be afraid of regret.
The greatest moments in life often come in the face of adversity. Choose to see hardships, struggles, and failures as bricks that will help you build an unbreakable foundation in life.
You are human, which means you will make mistakes. No one is perfect… despite what Mom thinks. But each of you are born of miracles. The world around you is full of miracles. Choose to be a miracle! Congratulations, Class of 2021.
