First, I want to say congratulations. You’ve reached an important benchmark in your lives and you will look back often in the future to these years as a special time in your lives and today as a very special day.
Secondly I want to thank you for asking me here to speak with you on this special day. It is not often that a teacher gets to share one final lesson with his students in this way and I am grateful for the opportunity. I’ll try to keep this short. I know you’re eager to be done and out of here.
Most of you don’t know that I haven’t always been a teacher. I didn’t start teaching until I was 50 years old. I had always wanted to be a teacher, but life has a way of throwing things in your path, derailing your plans. It wasn’t until my wife figured out a way for me to take a year off of work to get my teaching degree that I was able to fulfill my dream. Her sacrifice changed my life.
What I want to share with you today is those first 50 years and the things I think that I learned while I was working towards a dream I wasn’t sure would ever come true.
I know that tomorrow, or the day after, you are going to wake up and say to yourself “ok, now what? What do I do now?” I am sure that many of you have a plan: get a job, find an apartment, go to college, buy a car etc. But I want to warn you; things happen, the world has a different agenda.
Bill Watterson, the artist who draws the cartoon Calvin and Hobbes says “You may be surprised to find how quickly daily routine and the demands of “just getting by” absorb your waking hours. You may be surprised to find how quickly you start to see your politics and religion become matters of habit rather than thought and inquiry. You may be surprised to find how quickly you start to see your life in terms of other people’s expectations.”
Stuff happens, we all know that. Not such a big revelation is it?
Life gets in the way of life and plans fall by the wayside is one of the first lessons I learned. It’s easy to get lost in the day-to-day and forget who you are and what you want. That’s what I want to talk about today: What to do until the dream comes true. I titled my talk; Things I never taught you in the classroom because you weren’t ready to hear them, but now you are.
First, you need to know that despite how you feel today, you are not the center of the universe. The world does not revolve around you. If you look to your left, that’s who is the center of the universe. Look to your right and you’ll see the person that the world revolves around. If you don’t believe me, just ask them. I’m sure they will tell you I’m right.
So, what happens now that you’re not the most important person in the world?
1) You don’t have to be perfect anymore. It’s ok to make mistakes. Cut yourself some slack. Mistakes are just a way of learning.
So, it’s alright to sleep in sometimes. Don’t feel guilty. I’m sure you deserve to. When you’re not the center of the universe you don’t have to live up to others expectations. You are the boss and what you do and say are your decisions. Just don’t make it a habit because, and here’s the catch, you’re also responsible for the consequences of those decisions.
2) You don’t need to control the world by knowing everything that’s happening. You’re not in charge. You can put down the phone; turn off the computer and spend some time alone with your thoughts and enjoy it. You can even take the time to write a letter instead of texting or tweeting. Really take the time to share your thoughts with someone else.
3) You don’t need any one’s permission to try something new. Learn the ukulele or a different language. Eat apple pie or cold pizza for breakfast. Grow your hair long or cut it off.
4) Find an inspiration. Choose your own heroes and spread their story. The world always needs heroes.
5) Make new traditions that have special meaning to you and keep them. They become part of your personal story.
The point is that when you are not the center of the universe, when you no longer feel that others are focused on your every behavior, you are free to grow and choose who you want to be.
Congratulations on not being the most important person in the world.
I must tell you however, that not being the most important person in the world has responsibilities. You need to choose the world that you live in. If you don’t, someone who believes that they are the center of the universe will choose a world for you.
So, what do you want? A world where children are safe, well fed, and happy? A world where neighbors gather to celebrate their faith without fear? A world where people are supportive and caring, where the elderly and needy are tended to? A world where you are able to express your personal beliefs without shame or derision? Worthy goals certainly, but how do you, who are not the center of the universe achieve these goals?
Remember, you’re in charge of your life, you’re the boss. If you want a world where children are healthy and happy, then, in your world, in your neighborhood, you make that happen. Coach soccer, teach Sunday school, run a 4H club, babysit kids after school so they have a safe place to be. If you want a world that is supportive and caring, then be supportive and caring. Visit with seniors and the ill. Take the place of a caregiver for a few hours to give him a break.
The point is that you may not be able to change the world, but you can certainly change your world. Not being the center of the universe has its benefits.
Having said that I want to offer a few pointers for you from things that I’ve learned:
1) When you travel take the back road, the scenery is better and you’ll meet interesting people.
2) When you plant vegetables, plant flowers too.
3) When you’re singing along to songs in the car, other people can see you.
4) Chew with your mouth closed.
5) When you talk about someone else, it will always get back to them. Don’t do it.
6) Always say please and thank you.
7) Popcorn always needs more butter.
8) Keep the extra parts leftover when you fix something, the repairman will need them later.
And finally:
9) Putting on a clean t-shirt is not getting dressed up.

Thank you so much for letting me speak with you today. It has meant a lot to me to be here. Being a teacher, I need to leave you with one final suggestion from William Saroyan:

• Try to learn to breathe deeply, really to taste food when you eat, and when you sleep really to sleep. Try as much as possible to be wholly alive with all your might, and when you laugh, laugh like hell. And when you get angry, get good and angry. Try to be alive. WE will be dead soon enough.

Thank you.