Graduation

Graduation is next Friday.  The school will miss you all.  Individually and collectively you bring a unique culture to the school.  Whenever there is a change in the classes, the school mourns.  Don’t get too choked up, when the new school year begins we move on, just as you will, and the school will adjust to the new classes and the new 8^th graders.

But before we move on, we should reflect on the impact you have had on the school and the impact the school has had on you.  Our school is not static.  It changes with each new class and with each new student.  Each class develops its own identity and personality.  That personality may change over the years as students come and go.  The collection of classes makes up the identity and personality of the school.  Even though this school has been around for over a hundred years, it is the students, classes and teachers along with the families and church that determines the cultural personality of the school.

Each of you alone and all of you together have helped shape this school and your influence will be felt for years to come.  I believe in the idea that whenever you enter into something, you should have a goal to leave it better than it was when you started.  I believe you are leaving the school better today than when you started.  For that, we all owe you a thank you.

But just as you have had the opportunity to shape the school, I believe the school has helped to shape who you are.  While it may take years before you are able to fully appreciate the impact the school has had on your lives, I would expect you can look back over the years and find one or two lessons you will carry forward with you.  You may be able to identify one or two teachers which may have helped you to understand yourself as a student.  You may look at the friendships you have developed over the years and realize what a blessing it was to have them in your life.  You may look at the impact of having your Catholic faith as a corner stone of your education and how that has shaped your understanding of all subjects, not just religion.

What impact do you believe you and your class had on the school?  How would you like your class to be remembered?  What are your fondest memories or greatest life lessons are you taking with you from St. Joe’s?

May Day 2012

I typically refrain from giving my opinion about the topics I write about.  I would rather read what you think than have my thoughts and opinions shape your ideas.  While I still hope for that, after reading about some of the lunacy of May 1, 2012, I can no longer hold my tongue.

On May 1^st across the country May Day protests, some tied to the Occupy Wall Street protests, declared this a day to up the public protests against the 1% of the population controlling the wealth of this country.  Great.  It is each person’s choice to stand up for what they believe in and question our society and government in the face of anything which may infringe on our rights and our liberty.  That being said, this constant protest has reached the point of absurdity in many places and with many people.  They have taken this idea of equality and fairness and turned it into a ridiculous rant against the wealthy.  Many have chosen to make their protests violent, disruptive, and chaotic. 

If you read the papers or search the internet you will find multiple stories concerning arrests, disruptive protests, and other gathering coordinated by the Occupy Whatever City groups.  What fascinates and irritates me is, “What do they want?”  They are concerned about the 1% of the population controlling the political and economic systems of our country.  If this is there problem, what is their solution?

Regardless, I am not one of the 1%.  But I do not believe or plan on giving any one group, wealthy or not, the power to decide anything about my life, liberty or my pursuit of happiness.  This country was built on the beliefs of valuing and respecting each individual.  I know this because I can vote.  I know this because I get to choose my profession.  I can be whatever I want to be and so can my children.  They are not held down or limited based on their economic status.

 The United States of America is the greatest country in the world.  For hundreds of years we have been evolving into what we are, but our foundation is still in line with our founding fathers.  That does not mean we do not have problems.  We do.  Giant problems that need to be resolved.  But the idea of redistributing wealth goes against everything our country was based on.  You can do anything you want to if you are willing to work hard and dedicate yourself to your goals.  That to me is the bigger problem in our country. We have lost our will to work hard.  We want things to be given to us and everything to be fair.  All I know is that the things I really have had to work hard for or continue to work hard with are the most precious things in my life.  The hard work is what makes it all worth it.

I am impressed with some of the protestors.  I think they have valid concerns and would like real change.  Unfortunately it is the knuckle head antics that are getting the press.

What in your life have you had to work hard for?  What challenges did you face when trying to achieve your goals?  How did you overcome the obstacles?