Congratulations to our graduates

Good afternoon, graduates of this particular area high school OR community college OR four-year college.

Whoever scheduled me as your graduation speaker has made a terrible mistake. It was such an awful mistake that nobody made it, and you’re reading this speech here instead of pretending to concentrate on the words I say while you play on your phone. Trust me, you’re parents are doing the same thing right now, unless they’re using it to take pictures of you or stream it for somebody who couldn’t get to the celebration.

But let’s leave that aside and say ... congratulations. You made it, and only you know how difficult it was getting through whatever challenges you had. Was it the C you brought up to an A, the D you brought up to a B or the C you somehow maintained against all logic?

Don’t let that be the moment you peaked. Treat this as heading to the Grand Canyon, and you just got your parking spot. You’re here, and that matters, but you’ve got a lot of work to go. Work hard and enjoy the scenery.

Your hardest moment is still ahead of you. Maybe you’ll get bad news from the doctor. Maybe every card you have will decline at the grocery store. Maybe your dream person doesn’t see this going anywhere. I don’t wish these on you, but something bad will happen to you and the only thing you can control is how you react to it.

Take a minute to have a conversation with the person on your left, then the person on your right. People sitting on the ends of rows, look to the person ahead or behind you.

There’s a very good chance this is the last time you ever see that person. Some of them are going far away. Some of them are going to stay close, but skip out on the reunion events. Others may go to prison, or get sick, or die in a car accident. Don’t worry, though; most of you will be just fine.

Take these other tips to mind as you head to whatever your next step is:

• Watch your credit score. A few hundred points won’t cost you that car loan, but you might be slapping an extra $2,000 on the price tag.

• Butter is better than margarine.

• Do something positive with that money your relatives blindly gave you. You’ll want to spend it as soon as you get it, and then you’ll wonder why you bought those things when an important expense comes up.

• If you’re the smartest person in the room, find a new room. Studies show your salary is the average of the five people you spend most of your time around.

• Try to learn a new skill every year.

• Take one trip every year to somewhere you’ve never been, whether it’s Paris, Texas, or Paris, France.

• Las Vegas teaches you two things: Always double down on 11, and the house almost always wins.

• Become good friends with somebody who has a truck, and be prepared to buy them pizza. If you’re that friend with a truck, establish your price for helping friends move (I suggest a pizza).

Congrats, class of 2019. Now go out there and make things happen.

Kevin Wilson is editor of The Eastern New Mexico News. Contact him at:

[email protected]