To the Class of 2014

You have finally arrived.   You have survived 13 years of early mornings, long days, and homework in the evenings.  You have been to ball games, dances, concerts, and competitions.   You have passed tests with flying colors, and you have probably taken one or two that could have gone better.   But it is now time for you to open the door to the next phase, the next Big Thing.  Maybe I should say the door has been opened for you.   Whether you have loved this high school experience or hated it, you will be moving on now.   You must try something different, do something more, and succeed and fail at new tasks.   And I have a couple of pieces of life advice to pass on as you go:
1)  Wherever you are headed, do it well.   For those of you who are college bound, go to class, get to know your professors, do the work, study, and remember that it takes effort to do this stage of life well.  For you those of you who are headed into the military, embrace the discipline, foster a love of your country and a desire to serve others.   Be proud to serve and use that service to honor those who came before you.  And for those of you who are headed into the workforce, give it your all.   The way to be successful and earn your way is to prove everyday that you are willing to work, do your best, and grow in your skills.  
2)  Make wise choices and don't be dumb.   Some of the choices you make will stick with you forever.   So before you do something that will alter your life path from that moment on, take a second (or minute or hour or decade) to ponder about the journey this will send you on.   Is it for the betterment of your life?   Is it for the betterment of someone's life?  If it isn't, don't do it.
3)  Don't forget where you came from.   It is often easy to look back on a "small town" life and decide that it was boring or lacked opportunity.   Just don't forget that the small town has afforded you the opportunity you have right now.   That said, if you want to come home, do it because you want to, not because you didn't have any other choice.  
4)  If you get the opportunity, travel.   One of the greatest things I have ever done was go.   I have been out of this country a few times, and I learned something about the world, cultures, and myself on every journey.   I really cannot stress this one enough.   If your university has an international program, if the military sends you, or if you plan it yourself, try to find a way.  
5)  Take the life skills you have acquired and use them.  Don't think that just because you have finished this aspect of life you can leave those behind.  Life is a building block.   The things you have learned so far will help you as you continue to develop.   Sometimes the learning comes in a "Let's not do that again" kind of way.  Others may be a "Let's try it again in a different way" kind of thing.   And others will be a "I did this before and got great results."  
We are so proud of you.   We are excited for your new journey.  We can't wait to see your new successes.  We will pray for you and encourage you when things don't go exactly the way you planned.   Congratulations, Class of 2014!