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The graduation speech they won’t hear
but should!
By Al
Ruechel | 06-12-02
Congratulations, class of 2002.
You good looking gifts from God have made it through
the first big stage of life. My prayer for you: that you aren't
already so screwed up that there is no hope for resurrecting you
from the mediocrity and self-indulgence that are becoming hallmarks
of our society. Ouch! A little too strong?
Now, come on. I looked out in the parking lot. What is this, a Lexus
or BMW or SUV dealership? It used to be that kids were happy to be
driving any old tin can, popping and belching fumes from the back of
rusted-out tailpipes. Not anymore. You guys want the best or nothing
at all. And talk about some threads! I didn't know tank tops could
be fitted that tightly or cut that low in the front. No wonder all
those guys are standing around the girls' lockers, watching them
trying to bend over in those super low-cut blue jeans.
And I just got a look at your yearbook. There were five pages
featuring pictures of unmarried senior girls and their babies.
Really cute stuff, except I didn't see one picture of any father --
or should I have said "significant other"? And your prom Queen was
kind of buff and burly. Oh, that's right. "She" was really a guy
dressed in drag. Freedom of expression is so important.
I read that great article in your school newspaper, too. You don't
think oral sex is sex at all. Thank you, Bill Clinton. It used to be
a peck on the cheek after the first date. Now guys push girls into
their crotches before they even hold hands. More than 70 percent of
you have had intercourse, and another 35 percent of you think it's
cool to experiment with same-sex relationships. I'm impressed.
And did I hear your senior class trip is headed to Cancun again? I'm
sure the local authorities and businesses can't wait for your
arrival for what your classmates acknowledge is one big,
unsupervised drunken orgy. Well, I guess 16 arrests over a long
four-day weekend isn't all that bad. You're the cool ones, all
right. Nobody in your group moves or speaks and dates or does
anything without the unspoken approval of "the group."
I especially like your view of the future. The majority of you say
the most important consideration in your career is money. The most
common profession mentioned is "doctor" or "lawyer." Why? Because
you can make a lot of money.
Yes, sir! You are a spectacle to behold. You are the product of a
society that would rather surrender its children to a bunch of
Hollywood producers and directors and pop stars than teach them the
hard lessons of what it means to be a compassionate, contributing,
caring, giving, selfless, sexually disciplined human being. It's a
society that hamstrings its teachers with political correctness,
systematically removes religion from the dialogue of life and
replaces it with feel good mumbo-jumbo that avoids the difficult,
the spiritual, the challenging, and the finality of one single
correct choice. You pushed the extreme and, rather than steer you
away, we butted out because we didn't want to bother being parents.
Anyone out there want to shoot me yet? I can see you squirming. You
are so stinking judgmental, you say to me. Who do you think you are?
Hey, I'm a nobody who knows that the truth always stings the eyes of
those drowning in an ocean of lies. And today, of all days, you need
to be hearing the truth. I'm going for broke because I have to. What
you do with it is your business.
All that stuff I've been listing like a dirty laundry list isn't new
to you. And despite what you may think, there are a lot of kids
sitting next to you that don't buy into it. They are smart,
intelligent, perceptive kids who've got their acts together. I hope
and pray you are one of them. I have no problem turning over the
reins of tomorrow to these leaders of the future.
However, what's sad is that so many of you have swallowed this MTV
generation garbage as being gospel. The fact is, you don't need a
new car to be cool. There are plenty of kids just happy to be
driving anything rolling. There are many more who have no prospect
of having any wheels for years to come and they aren't complaining.
Everyone wants to look their best, but in reality no one is keeping
a scorecard on what you wearing. It's marketing. Companies are
playing with your emotions and your head, feeding a line that you
are what you drive or you are what you wear or eat. You can never be
skinny enough, pretty enough, your hair silky enough, to meet
"their" standards because their standards are always changing to get
you to buy more products.
Who you are as a person isn't tied up in what you wear. You think
it's sexy showing "rear end cleavage" or flashing your breasts to
the guys? You know what message that sends? And unless you're
prepared to be mauled or date-raped or end up feeling guilty as heck
for servicing some guy or guys, you'd better stop playing those
stupid sex games. Then, of course, you could end up pregnant, on
your own, branded by your classmates, struggling to make ends meet
and praying you can salvage some kind of future for yourself.
No, I'm not uptight. I wish that when I was graduating from high
school some one had been just as frank with me. These are the cold,
hard facts of letting pop culture steer and control your life.
Okay, enough with the brow beating. Here's the kind of truth that
can set you free.
First, you are a wonderful, unique creation of God. You aren't here
by mistake. God has a purpose for your life and as you journey
along, you will see it revealed more and more each day. Cling to
this thought over and over if you must. Put it on the refrigerator
like your prize report card. "God loves me" is the best self-esteem
medicine that exists.
Second, life isn't always going to be easy or fair. There are going
to be challenges that will seem insurmountable at times. With faith
and courage and some hard work, you will not only overcome, but you
will grow stronger because of those experiences.
Third, sex may be the most wonderful gift that God ever bestowed on
us. Harnessed and disciplined, it is the glue that ties men and
women together forever. But if you treat it like trash or just some
animal impulse, sex can destroy you physically and emotionally.
Fourth, enjoy being young and innocent and excited and giggly. Don't
let your peers pressure you into aging one day beyond your years.
Sure, be responsible and civil and all that stuff, but don't forget
to laugh and enjoy the days you don't have to work.
Fifth, concentrate as much on being a nice person and looking out
for the welfare of others as much as you do on yourself. Only in
serving others do we truly discover the significant things in life.
Sixth, know and understand the value of a grateful heart and a true
sense of humility. "Thank you" is such a powerful phrase because it
acknowledges a need to connect with others who contribute to our own
well-being. Humility is the outward sign of a soul at rest, which,
after all, may be the most powerful force in the universe.
Seventh, be a perpetual optimist. It makes no sense to plan for all
the things that could go wrong in life.
In the end, the only thing you can really control is your reaction
to the things that occur around you. Expect a wonderful sunset, a
rainbow after a storm, dreams that come true, stories that end
happily ever after.. and they will.
Al Ruechel, copyright 2002, all
rights reserved
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