Well, you did it! You accomplished one of the major early milestones of your life: graduation. This is a major step in the journey of your life, one that should be recognized for its immense significance. It is an act not only of personal commitment, but also one of pride. You worked hard to get to this day, and your work did not go to waste. A diploma (whether high school or college) is a wonderful tool in this world, one that opens many doors of opportunity for anyone who is blessed enough to have one.
But graduation is not an end goal in itself; it is instead a part of the larger journey of life. Wherever your future takes you, let it take you somewhere. Life is a journey, and all the accomplishments you achieve during its course should be taken as starting points for further achievements. Your graduation should serve as such a launching point, projecting you to wherever your future is meant to take you, whether you land yourself a career, take up a trade, or continue your education at college or Vocational/technical School.
But before you can begin to reach for the stars, there is one more personal milestone that you need to reach. As I said before, life is a journey— we don’t stop growing once we get our diplomas. Life is about growing, and being involved in new opportunities to continue growing and to learn new skills that we will carry with us for the rest of our lives.
And we don’t have to stop there! This graduation has already shown you how capable you are of accomplishing your goals when you commit yourself to them. I hope you can take this personal accomplishment as an example of how anything is truly possible when you put your mind to it. As you all continue on in your life, take each new problem on with confidence, knowing that you have achieved great heights and are equipped with the necessary tools to tackle your future.
The road that lies ahead won’t be easy. There will be obstacles and missed exits, potholes and roadblocks. There will be times when each of you will feel like you cannot possibly go on. There will be times when you will think you are alone, a back against the wall. But you are not alone—you have a tribe of people with you in this journey. You’ve made it this far—why should you back out now? Nothing worthwhile is easy, and that includes making the most out of your future. But that doesn’t mean you give up on yourself either. You will keep pushing, because you know you can achieve your dreams, and because you are worth it.
From this day forward, make each decision with your best interests in mind. Believe in yourself so that you may reach your goals and fulfill your dreams. Be the best that you can be so that you may fill your life and the lives of those closest to us with happiness and with pride. You’ve already taken the first step by making it to this momentous point in your life—now, it’s time to take the next steps in the journey that is your life and begin to build your future.
Congratulations Class of 2018!
West Park is so proud of you!
Remember to contact me at City Hall with your ideas, suggestions or concerns. I represent you and appreciate your input into the continued success of our beloved city. I can be reached at: 954-329-8990 or by email at: fbrunson@cityofwestpark.org.
