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Class of 2020, We See You During COVID-19
There’s something incredibly affirming about being seen and recognized for hard work. For high school and college seniors, they’ve been waiting for that moment when, traditionally in May, they would walk a platform, and all their family, friends, and peers would watch them receive their diplomas. This May, however, COVID-19 is stealing that moment from the senior class of 2020. It stole prom, senior week, and so many other once-in-a-lifetime moments that they’d watched prior graduating classes experience. Many feel cheated, upset, or let-down, and no one can fault them for feeling that way. They should absolutely acknowledge the disappointment but refuse to let it keep them down. Today’s post…
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3 Habits of Satisfied People
More than likely, our lives have or will turn out differently than we plan. Even so, we can know the satisfaction of a life well-lived. The deciding factors have less to do with mountain-top moments and more with our everyday habits. Last month, I had the opportunity to share with Alpha Omega Academy’s graduating class some habits that will help them live meaningfully, and I don’t think these practices are just for teens. They’re ones I have to work on intentionally every day. Maybe they’ll help you, too. Habit #1: Guard Your Priorities. We might be able to multi-task, but we can’t do everything. Or, if we try, we’ll do less…
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Graduates, what would you teach us?
Graduates are on fire for life and its seemingly endless possibilities, but those of us on the other side know Forrest Gump was right when he said life can be like a box of chocolates—and not always in a good way. As a result, we adults have both wisdom and experience to offer. However, let’s take a moment to switch places and ask ourselves what we can learn from this year’s graduating class. Celebrate your success, and don’t dwell on defeat. Sometimes, life and its school of hard knocks jade us. We see the rejection letters, the closed doors, and the failed hopes. When we do, we often lose sight…
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The Places Graduates Go: Deserts and Gardens
“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat.“I don’t much care where–” said Alice.“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat. Do you recognize this conversation from Alice in Wonderland? If you’re graduating, maybe you feel a little bit like Alice. You’d like very much to stop and ask for directions. Along the way, though, life is going to take you places you might not expect. Last time, we saw the first two, and today, we’re going to look at two more. THE DESERT Missionary explorer David Livingston trekked across Africa from west…
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The Places Graduates Go: Mountains and Valleys
You’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, So… get on your way! Dr. Seuss penned these well-known verses which have become synonymous with graduation. They capture a sense of achievement and the anticipation of climbing the mountain ahead. Mountains are awesome to climb (We’ll talk about that in just a minute.), but there are several other places graduates will find themselves in the years ahead. Some of them are exhilarating; others are exhausting. Even if you’re not a graduate, you can still relate to these places. Wherever you are in your journey, I hope these words will encourage and challenge you to pursue your…
