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Reflections on graduations
Mar. 28th, 2007 09:25 pmFriday was graduation day here at Nara Institute of Science and Technology. So Monday evening I went to the laboratory graduation party in Osaka. Lots of food, beer, and talk. Last year at the very end they asked me to say a few words, so this time I actually thought about what to say ahead of time -- and of course we got busy and they didn't ask me to say anything. Still, I thought I would at least make a note about what I was thinking of saying.
When people talk about graduations, they often focus on the endings. You've finished so many years, you are leaving, and so forth. But it seems to me that we really should think about graduations as beginnings.
When you're climbing mountains, you spend a lot of time climbing and may be very good at the climbing part. But that's not really the point. The point is when you reach the top and look over, when you see the world opening up in front of you.
And that's really where graduation puts you. At the top of the mountain looking out at new vistas. So open up your eyes and enjoy the view.
That's what I was going to say. Maybe I'll use it next year :-)
When people talk about graduations, they often focus on the endings. You've finished so many years, you are leaving, and so forth. But it seems to me that we really should think about graduations as beginnings.
When you're climbing mountains, you spend a lot of time climbing and may be very good at the climbing part. But that's not really the point. The point is when you reach the top and look over, when you see the world opening up in front of you.
And that's really where graduation puts you. At the top of the mountain looking out at new vistas. So open up your eyes and enjoy the view.
That's what I was going to say. Maybe I'll use it next year :-)
