Class of 2020, You’ve made it once more to the end of a year
Only this one is different, so lend me your ear. Teaching science, I don’t often give life advice But this is my chance, and I’ll keep it concise. You’ve made it through quarks and Einstein’s Equation Through parsecs and coulombs, and on this occasion, I just want to notice the work that you’ve done. I hope it sparked interest and I hope it was fun. But that’s not really the theme of this talk here today In our last class together before you all go away There’s a lot that has happened to impact your year And many future ripples will be traced right back here So, your high school career ended different than many But that shouldn’t detract from the class of 2020 People have loved using the word “unprecedented” To describe your experience, but I think that it’s presented A short-sighted look at what makes you all grand Because this won’t be the last thing that you take on unplanned Your futures ahead will be filled up with stories Of all your successes, and triumphs, and glories But the memories that stick and stand out when they’ve ended Are the moments when things didn’t go as intended Someday you’ll look back from a new point of view And appreciate the things that became clearer to you In this time with ourselves. At home. Disconnected. We learned to recognize things we should have always respected School isn’t just class, and school isn’t the grade It’s about branching out and connections you’ve made Don’t let “unprecedented” outshine your feat Your journey continues, it is yours to complete Thirteen years ago, I sat where you sit, And from that time since, I’ve learned some things to transmit Looking back, it’s okay if high school wasn’t the best A transition is coming, it’s time to start a new quest. The time up ahead will look different, no doubt The scenery will change but you’ll still need a route So as you advance to your college of choice Put yourself out there and search for your voice The time for decisions won’t soon be complete But you can start fresh. You can restart your beat. It’s also okay if you loved these four years You can still “close the yearbook” without too many tears And it’s ok to look back, with love and affection At the times that you’ve shared: your memory collection Someday, these years will be a blip on a map From your first day as freshmen to your funny, square cap But especially right now, this journey means more-y Four years to you is one-fifth of your story. So don’t take for granted your friends on this ride People change people. You’re better inside. It’s okay to have passion. It’s okay to succeed. Take note of these things that you long for and need Someone once told me to focus on gaps To keep putting time in so I could clean up the scraps But I’ve started to see that this isn’t all true It’s your strengths that need practice, they’re the things that you’ll do Why stop at good when you can work to be great Put your weakness aside, you should load up your plate With the things that are natural, the things that you love The things that have always seemed to fit like a glove. If you don’t know where to start, ask your family and friends They’ll help you see strengths in a completely new lens It’s okay to quit, I know this doesn’t sound right It doesn’t seem that inspiring, not too happy or bright But sometimes, just sometimes, quitting is good If there’s something else out there that you don’t do but should Thirteen years ago this would not have made sense I never admitted when it got too intense, Or boring, or painful, or too far in to change But that prevented me from new things from looking down range The hardest thing that I did, is the reason that I’m here It’s when I chose to quit my job as a well paid engineer. At the time I wasn’t sure, I think it would have happened sometime But if I didn’t change my path, then you wouldn’t have read this dumb rhyme It’s not too late to change, no one knows for sure… But if you aren’t afraid to jump, you might be better than you were. None of these, by the way, are things I thought of by myself They all came from others and some books off my shelf You are only as smart as the company you keep So surround yourselves wisely; keep that learning curve steep Somebody once asked me “What have you made?” “What have you done to be showcased, displayed?” To be honest, at the time, my answer wasn’t great I know what I’d say now, but my response is years too late. So I ask the same of you, so that you can all reflect, Because, “What have you made?” doesn’t have to be an object It could take the form of friendship that you’ve fostered and sustained Or maybe its a change that you have worked on and attained Right now, “What WILL you MAKE?” motivates me more than ever It gives life to daily chores and has led to new endeavors And now that I am a father, with this role to live up to I hope my mini-me’s grow up as wonderful as you. And I hope when someone asks you what you’ll “make” and what you’ve “made”, You can proudly reflect back upon the deck of cards you’ve played. It’s okay to admit when the world just isn’t fair But it’s hard for us to do when the guilt is ours to share Our experience is shaped by where we’re from and how we look And sometimes our success was more than actions that we took When in this place of privilege, we must learn and we must listen We must recognize success is more than effort and ambition Be aware of the injustice and of people who’ve been slighted Find the things that you can do. There are wrongs that must be righted You are all special, you have all been quite blessed. To have what you have so I have one more request Whatever you do and wherever you go, Pay attention to moments that force you to grow. It’s the times when we’re stretched that push us beyond When you face these tough times, how will you respond? It is my hope that you’ll do what you can To step up and proudly stake your flag in the sand. The world will be yours take care and take heed Set the example and we’ll follow your lead.
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Joe CossetteFather, Physics Teacher, Knowles Fellow, Friend, Techie, and Musician Blog Posts |