Dear Graduate,
Congratulations, you made it!
Whether you are graduating, 8th grade, high school, or college, know that lessons don’t hit you smack in the face. They are always found in the in-between moments. And perhaps you didn’t even realize they were lessons. Perhaps you won’t realize it, until you are sitting where I’m at, behind a computer screen, about the pickup my graduating 8th grader from dance practice. If you are lucky, you will see them unfold right in front of you, blooming like a rose in the beginning of summer and think to yourself, “aha, I got it.” The key to knowing is to open your eyes and see.
What I do know is that experience is sometimes striking out, standing in the back of the line, or maybe it is the rejection letter from a company you thought you would get. Perhaps it is making a decision that helps you grow, taking a risk on something that could fall flat, but doesn’t. When you strike it hot, let it ride. When you fall flat, reinvent yourself. Repeat it over and over again. You always have the ability to reassess yourself and where you are and start somewhere new or as someone new. You can’t be defined as one thing. You aren’t the “quiet one,” or the “loud one.” You aren’t the “popular one” or the “nice one.” Labels mean nothing, so never box yourself in. After all, you will be many versions of yourself throughout your life. That is part of the fun, so enjoy the journey of figuring it all out. And don’t let anyone else tell you who you are. You write the script. It is your story to tell.
No matter where you stand on the stage of life, there will always be someone standing in front of you, next to you, or behind you, perhaps breathing down your neck, wanting your spot. No matter where you are in the game, on the field, or in your group…keep your head about you. Remember that you might not always be the one that shines front and center at every given moment, so recognize the ones in the back, on the bench, or sitting on the sidelines. Nobody is better than anyone else; people just peak at different times or at different things. Hold yourself in high regard but remember to not let any bright light burn your eyes. Stay humble. The best gift you can give yourself is humility.
The energy you give off attracts the same in return. Energy is like a magnet. Attachment forms when there is reciprocation. So, attract the right people as you move forward. The truth is, you might not even have met your best friend yet. So, smile at everyone around you. Speak to everyone around you. Real growth always comes from learning from all different types of people so stay open. Befriend someone who is different from you. My best friends are unlike me. They are the extrovert to my introvert. They tell me to get in the car because we are going to some place I don’t want to go. And you know what, I always have fun when I get there, wherever it is. Let someone else push you a little. Or let someone else help you find the quiet. Everyone, and I mean everyone, has a gift to give. Be open to receiving it.
Enjoy reaching for the dream. Climb slowly towards your goal, never reaching the top. Take pauses along the way, take a breath, and reassess. Sometimes you might need to take a couple of steps back or start again with different people around you, different tools. You will always be climbing to something a little bit higher, where the air is a little bit clearer, where you can take a deep breath and say, it’s easier to breathe up here. But I still have a little higher to go. Once you get to the top, there is nowhere to go, except down; so, keep climbing toward something else, as miniscule as it might seem, it will always make you ascend higher and perchance, allow you to soar.
The world isn’t black and white. I think we learned that. It isn’t, do this or that. It screams colors of bold and bright. So paint your picture with all the colors, write your story with the fancy font. Take risks. Make good decisions. But also, push the limit, just a little. And if you don’t think you are where you need to be, just know, the tides will always turn. Your time to shine is coming.
Congratulations to the class of 2023! Hats off!
Noreen Heffernan, Writer, MA in Public and Corporate Communications, Certified in PR , Writer, Growing Ladies and Beautycounter Consultant, Noreen.heffernan@gmail.com