Graduates: Can you pass this test?



You are about to graduate from high school. You’ve taken your share of tests and feel fairly well equipped to manage life. But there’s another test coming right after you get your diploma. We’ll see if you’re prepared for this one.

Remember as a little kid when you dealt with naptime, bedtime and time out? Soon enough you were learning how to tell time. Eventually, school became all about getting things done on time.

Time is something that we all deal with. We can’t buy it but we can use it. We can’t borrow it or take it back.  None of us can keep it, but each day we spend it. We don’t know about tomorrow’s time, but here’s a promise: you can never have back the time you have lost.
You’re graduating because you wisely spent enough time to earn a diploma. Now you’ll be dedicating more time to a career or college. There’s time to celebrate today, but tomorrow’s time is waiting for you to decide how it will be used.

We don’t often think about how important time is. But consider that:

  • One millisecond can separate a silver medalist from a gold.
  • One second can spare you from a tragic accident.
  • One minute can mean missing the bus and the opportunity to be on time to a job interview.
  • One hour is all it takes to write thank you letters to those who’ve helped you.
  • One week spent wisely can make the difference in being prepared for an exam.
  • One month can show your new boss that you are an amazing attribute to their business.
  • One year spent on a wise plan can alter the course for your life.


As a graduate, you’ll get some gifts—hopefully money in all those envelopes. But truly your biggest gift is the time you have ahead. And even though it seems like you have plenty of time, you don’t. If you remember anything from this little speech it’s this: time IS a gift. 

So here’s your test: It’s the test of time. How will you pass the test? Your legacy will be based on how well you use your time. You already know people—some famous and some not, who’ve used their time well. It’s now your turn. Your clock is ticking.

Popular posts from this blog

Counting the Cost

Image
Something big is missing in this photo. Let me explain. Here in my hometown, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe prepared a parcel of land for a new hotel. Plenty of planning and architectural designs were evaluated. A gemstone of a hotel would be built across from the waterfront—a beautiful, restful place welcoming travelers. A true four-star facility.   They cleared the aging brick structures that had been fading away between Front Street and Railroad Avenue. Then the pandemic hit, shortages of labor and supplies, add in the costly inflation that followed. Everything stopped.   But this is what I admire about the Elwha Tribe: they have counted the cost. They didn’t want to move forward and take on tremendous debt. They would rather move slowly and be financially ready, rather than begin building and then letting it sit unfinished.   Counting the cost is something I should have done earlier in life when I didn’t know what high interest rates would do to our farming cost...
Read more

Summertime Music

Image
During the summer months, in an outside seating area, a delightfully painted piano sits with a sign that says, “Play me”.   It was just before 8 pm as I walked past the piano. My bus would be arriving soon, and I still have another ten minutes to walk before reaching my bus stop. But no one is around. It’s a beautiful warm evening. I pulled out the piano bench and sat down. The sun was behind me, and the piano keys reflected its glow. I had no music in front of me, only the songs within me. Notes drifted into the air.  In those brief moments, the magic of music and summer came together. Isn’t that how it is? Summertime music has a way of lingering in our minds and lasting a lifetime. As I stood and grabbed my things, I heard distant clapping—I guess I wasn’t alone, after all.
Read more

Planting Good Seeds

Image
Harvest will always depend on what we plant and how well we care for our crop.    Looking over my seed packets, I notice they’re different than the ones I planted before. One package is called Word seeds. The directions say that each of my words is a seed, so it cautions me to think before I speak. Harsh words don’t produce sweet, nourishing fruit. These seeds will require thoughtful care in the garden. I see some Volunteer seeds. Those extra hours I tend to fritter away are going to be planted in a useful project.   It looks like time isn’t wasted in this garden plot. Next are some Love seeds—the directions are interesting: get up each day and love others. No specifics are given—just do something for someone every day. The seed package shows pictures of smiling faces. I smile back. As I’m ready to head to the garden with my seeds, a package falls to the ground. I open it. Inside are the tiniest seeds I’ve ever seen—but the directions s...
Read more