Graduation: A Life Lesson
Today and this week hundreds of thousands of teens will graduate high school. They will gather with their families to hear a commencement speech that will inspire them, will embolden them, will counsel them. Some speeches will be given by politicians, others by military brass, others by movie stars, others by comedians, and others by religious leaders.
There will be a common theme--that the future is theirs. And this is true. The future is theirs and those of us who gather as parents and grandparents know that our future significantly depends on their contribution. We hope that they will be successful in their chosen career and that they will be happy.
There will be many in the audience who are weathered by years. They will remember their own commencement addresses thirty, forty, fifty, even sixty years ago, when the future was theirs and now, in the blink of an eye, that future is the past.
They will listen and wisely consider that with all that they accomplished, their greatest joys have been with their families. They will have come to know the truth about life--that no success can compensate for failure in the home.
Familius' counsel to our your friends this week is that the foundation of all we do rests upon the family. Build that foundation and your life will be rich and full of joy.
Good luck.
To help your graduates succeed consider A Teen's Guide to Success: How to Be Calm, Confident, and Focused by Dr. Ben Bernstein, a performance coach for professional athletes, musicians, corporate executives, and students.