Well, since I haven’t posted with the regularity that I had hoped to this term, I figured I would try to make up for it with a second post in one day. 😉

The last week has been a whirlwind of graduation prep. Last Friday afternoon, I was at the Vancouver Island University graduation. I attended on behalf of the Trustees because my zone high school is NDSS, which is where the Career and Technical Centre is located. That program is a partnership between the school district & the university.

Today was the NDSS graduation. It was an amazing experience to be up there on the stage and part of the group presenting their diplomas to the students. They’re a very diverse group. I was incredibly moved to see the grads from the Ravens LeLum program taking the stage with their children. I loved all the different performances.I’ll definitely miss Tasha’s ukulele skills. And she’s a songwriter. As much as I would’ve loved to have her lead us in another rousing ‘Build Me Up Buttercup’ singalong, I’ll forgive it, because hearing an original song she wrote for the occasion? Amazing. A memory I’ll cherish.

Here is what I shared with the grads when I spoke… or at least what I wrote; I may have ad libbed a bit on stage:

Good morning staff, parents, family, friends distiguished guests, most importantly, the graduating class of 2015. It is a privilege to bring you greetings on behalf of the Board of Trustees of School District 68.

 I have thought a lot about my own high school graduation, some 27 years ago, as I prepared to speak to you today. High school was, for me, as I imagine it was for many of you, the best of time and the worst of times. I encourage you to hold on to the good memories as you move on today, and let go of the bad ones. 

I have spent weeks trying to sort out what to say to each of you. You have wore worked hard to achieve this goal; today is a momentous occasion, the enormity of which you may not even fully grasp today. I certainly didn’t, at the time.  I’ve pondered, prayed, reflected and researched. And then, this past Saturday I was in Vancouver at the Lion King and as I listened to the song Circle of Life, I realized that two verses from it captured it all:

Some of us fall by the wayside

Some of soar to the stars

Some of us sail through our troubles 

Some have to live with the scars

Some say eat or be eaten

Some say live and let live

All are agreed, as we join the stampede

You should never take more than you give

As Jack Layton said before he died, Love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So be hopeful, loving and optimistic. And you will change the world.

Writer’s note: In the spirit of the assignment I gave today’s grads, thank you Mike, who is interning at our church, without whom I’d have been stuck trying to read this speech off an i-Pad that was on 18% power, because I spent so much time writing & rewriting this speech that I didn’t get it printed until this morning.

Thank you also to my Grade 12 English teacher, Carol McNamee, who took me aside in English 12 & encouraged me to accept the idea that really, when you’re writing an essay, you should only have one main idea per paragraph. 😉