Saturday's Watch out World!

Copyright AJ Horton

Watch out world - here they come!!  The graduates.  Specifically high school graduates!  This is the time of year that high schools around the country give out diplomas for completing all grades satisfactorily.  Some kids were academically awesome in high school.  They're the ones who held office in high school, got the best scores on their SATs and ACTs and are headed to the finest colleges in the country.  They have hopes of changing the world, changing peoples' lives, changing themselves.  Some kids did alright academically with appropriate SAT and ACT scores to get into a good college.  They also have high hopes and dreams of accomplishing something worthwhile.  Some were socialites, made good grades, had lots of friends and joined every club available.  They seemed to have a wonderful time in high school.  Some kids struggled throughout high school, maybe were bullied, a little, but managed to make it and are so proud of themselves for this accomplishment.  They don't know what their future holds, but they know how to work hard and they know they can make a difference with the right amount of effort - and maybe just a little luck.  And then there are the athletes.  The ones who would rather be practicing than studying.  The ones who have college athletic scholarships and dream of making it to the pros.  Sure, they've had to study, to make decent grades, to get high enough scores on their SATs and ACTs to qualify for the colleges that recruited them, but for the most part, their focus is on the sport; the thrill of the game; the adrenalin rush from competition.  They plan on having a great time in college.  Finally, there are the ones who didn't put forth much effort in high school - they, for some reason, didn't see the point.  For some of this group, school was easy, they made good grades without trying, had a lot of friends, had a lot of fun, and just proceeded aimlessly though high school.  Others didn't have many friends, never socialized, never went to school events.  What do you think happens to this group?  Not everyone does well in high school.  I've read that Steven Spielberg wasn't a good student in high school - look where he is now.  John Maxwell says that his high school days were not his best.  I'm told Lady Gaga did not enjoy her high school years either.

The point is, if you're a high school senior know this - - Your high school days don't make or break you for life.  High school is an experience!  Hopefully you learn from your experiences.  You decide what you want to do and it won't always be easy.  You learn from high school that YOU are in charge of your future and only YOU can make or break your life!  Of all of you that graduate this year, - whether you were the best and brightest, the average, the bullied, the athletes, the socialites, the non caring - each and every one of you must now make decisions that will have an impact on the rest of their lives.  And how you finished in high school is no indication of how you will finish in life.  There are so many examples of people who were at the top that fell to the bottom and those that were at the bottom who rose to the top.  It happens.  It's each individual's desires, decisions and tenacity - or lack thereof - that determines the future.

I hope everyone had a great Saturday.  If you graduated high school this weekend - Congratulations.  If you are a parent of a 2015 high school graduate - Congratulations.  And to ALL of you who read this today - Thank you,  Thank you for looking, for reading, and I will see you tomorrow.