Laura’s High School Graduation – Class of 2009
Laura’s High School Graduation
My niece Laura graduated last week from Our Lady of Peace (OLP) High School. I was lucky enough to be able to attend the Senior Awards Ceremony in the morning with my brother George. The awards were given out in the school gymnasium. The seniors all wore white caps and gowns. What struck me about the ceremony was all of the different talents were in that room.
There was Sammy Silva getting an award for being an athlete, now the California 1600 meter state champion. There was another student getting an award for acting, another student getting an award for genetics. My own Laura Gros got an award for art. I was so proud of all these young women. It brought tears to my eyes (how embarrassing).
Sitting there on a wooden bleacher, I started thinking back to my high school class. It doesn’t seem that long ago I was at an awards ceremony at Helix High School for my senior year (1978). It made me wonder, as a person gets farther away from high school, does a person embrace their unique talents and nurture them, or does a person become complacent and tired from day-to-day living and let their talents seep away?
Hopefully, we are smart enough and lucky enough to find careers that exploit our talents. Parents, teachers, and mentors are the key to help steer and support young people towards their destiny.
When I hear someone say, “I hate my life,” I have to think that something happened to that person along the way where they didn’t get a chance to grow and flourish in what they innately do best. The good news is, it is never too late. A person’s talent is theirs forever and ever. No one can take it away.
I wish for the OLP class of 2009 to find joy in their individuality and for each of them to live a life in which their talent is like a huge fire with flames leaping out. It takes energy, desire, and commitment.
As a matter of fact, I wish for everyone on the planet to be “on fire.”
