Today I have the privilege of speaking to the graduating students of Salisbury High School at Baccalaureate 2015.
I would like to take a
moment to congratulate all of the students here today for you have come a long
way. If you were to reflect back and take a look at where you have come from, I
am sure you would agree, that getting through elementary, junior and high
school, feeling pressures from family members, teachers and often your piers was
not piece of cake but here you are.
May I suggest that you not
get to comfortable yet because when something comes to it end, something new
has to begin. Oh there will be some of
you who will embrace the next stage in your new life, and some of you will not. Therefore it will be exciting for some and
not for others. My hope is that the
words you are about to hear might be meaningful and encouraging to everyone.
I'll
start by telling you something you really didn't have to learn as you went
through high school. You didn’t have to
learn what you were going to do with the
rest your life. It wasn’t important
then, but, this question will start coming up as you enter the workaday world, or
as you consider Community College or University. Don’t be
tricked into believing you have to have an answer for it. No, no one knows for sure what they are going
to be doing with the rest of their life.
The question is mainly used as a conversation starter, that’s
all. This question is just to get you
thinking. Take it with a grain of salt,
what they really want to know is what sort of person you are, what do you like
and what do you dislike. If I were back in my high
school days and someone were to ask me about my plans, I'd say that my first
priority is to search out my options. There are always options and your first choice might not be your last. You
don't need to be in a rush to choose your life's work, but a good place to
start is to sort out what you do not
want to do for the rest of your life, so you can see what it is that you would
like to do. I will never forget my
youngest boys reply to his summer job while attending UNB. His job was working on the line at the Oxford
Frozen Food Plant in Oxford N. S. boxing blueberries. Dad, I
know one job I am not going to be doing this for the rest of my life. Often your first job can help you make good
decisions later on in your life.
Begin
asking yourself this question: what is that I like to do. You have to work on stuff you like if you
want to be happy and get good at what you do.
Here is the trick. Don’t let
money, prestige, or the glorification of a trade, career, or profession make
your decision for you? A Job will not
make you happy but doing something you love to do can.
So my advice is: the world is waiting for
those of you who are willing to face change head on to make our world a better
place. In framing by the growing of food
without the use of chemicals, in new energy fields wind, and solar for the sake
of our environment In the trades to make our homes and buildings more
efficient. In new technologies to
improve the inequality of minority groups and fight poverty in our world. You the graduating students of today will have
the ability to give us a chance, a chance for a better world and each and every
one of you, not matter where you decide to work, can make a difference. This is a great video. Click the picture below.
Have you hear the song “Go
make a difference” take a listen:
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