To The Graduate

You did it! It seems like was only yesterday when you were pondering the GREAT LEAP: going to the University, moving away from home, leaving friends and family, making a definite break with your past. Now you've come to this new turning point in your life, a point past which you will encounter even greater uncertainties and challenges. If you still have doubts about the satisfactory completion of your undergrad studies, don't be too hard on yourself. They could never be perfect, as the world is never perfect. Things are done, or left undone, without complete logic or understanding- sometimes without any reason at all. But we do continue to try, moving forward, sideways, or backwards; always moving, even when the gains we do make are sometimes accidental or counter-productive. As the venerable sage once said: "There is no try, there is only do, young Skywalker."

I've been this occasional voice on the sideline of your quest, supplying what I hope were a few words of encouragement. I've got no secret supply of BIG TRUTHS, just a few more years of experience, some of it needlessly bitter. I'm not even much of a father-figure, I'm just another traveler in the wilderness who happened to spot a rising star in the southeast.

Rise higher, southeastern star, let your voice be heard, and let your mind remain open, the world is full of the good and the bad and indifferent, your education has given you a taste of wisdom, use it to look within yourself and also beyond yourself and you'll do just fine.

The things that are written on these sometimes silly blogs may have only the smallest effect on the world at large. But they have an effect, and anyone who believes in what they write will also believe that the effect is a positive one. I hope I've given you something of merit here. Congratulations, Comica , and thanks for all that which you have given me.