I didn't graduate any where near the top of my class.
I would guess I was somewhere near the middle of the pack.
S.A.T. scores that were not memorable or at least I would like to forget.
One summer spent in summer school due to my inability to master Algebra (I did grasp Geometry though).
I bailed on Regents Biology for a Non-Regents class.
That decision led to me not earning a Regents Diploma (which really only mattered in NY and CA ( I think)).
But if I had been at the top of my class, here is what I would say with many more years of life experience under my belt.
Fellow Classmates,
Look at the person sitting on each side of you. Yes, really look at them. The majority of these people you will never see again. We have spent the last few years intertwined by the mandatory curriculum set forth by the powers that be.
As I stood by the goalposts waiting to walk across the football field among the 300 other members of our class, I thought how will I live without these people?
Most, I don't even remember by name or photo.
Here is my advice to my classmates.
Enjoy every minute with your parents. Ask them to tell you the same old stories about their youth and their parents, so you can preserve them in your memory.
Learn to handle your finances responsibly. Being irresponsible can lead to years of getting back on track. Live within your means. Try not to buy based on impulse.
Want to make a big purchase? Save for it. You will appreciate it more.
Never become too grand to not appreciate the small things life has to offer. Things like the smell of fresh sheets from the clothesline, a snow day, the sound of rain as you fall asleep, reading a book you don't want to end, a dinner out or any other small moments.
Not that I don't want to see everyone financially secure. Sometimes wealth makes us forget the 'hungry times'. I do not mean physically hungry. I like to think of going out to dinner or a movie or a day at the beach as something special. Once these small events become the norm, I think we all lose.
Travel, travel, travel.
Travel the United States before hitting Europe and beyond. Stand on a ridge of the Grand Canyon, put your feet in the Pacific Ocean, eat a lobster in Maine and if you can get to Alaska and Hawaii GO! Take the time to see what New York has to offer. Don't wait for friends and relatives come to visit to ride the Staten Island Ferry, head to the top of the Empire State Building or eat a hot dog from a street vendor.
Understand that as much as we all love being a New Yorker, there are other fabulous places to call home.
Say YES more than no.
Don't let fear stop you from anything unless physical danger could be the result.
Volunteer. Be the scout leader, PTA member. volunteer at a school, spend time at a food bank you will never lose in donating your time.
Maintain friendships, this takes work but is so rewarding. One sided friendships don't weather the storms.
Find your passion. It doesn't matter how old your are when you discover something you love. Grasp it, embrace it and go for it.
Say "I love you" more, give hugs and celebrate each birthday as a gift
View each day as a gift.
Pray.
As has been said before. at the end of your life it is not about the hours you spent at the office that people will speak about or remember. It is the moments with family and friends enjoying life, laughing and loving that will matter.
See you next week.
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