WE DID IT
Three years of dedication, focus, sacrifice, and perseverance.
We are so grateful.
I am primarily sharing pictures from this momentous day, because I currently have no words to describe what this journey has been, and what this day means to us.
So instead of my own narrative, I want to share the words of Denzel Washington from his commencement address to Penn University in 2011. His words ring true to both our struggles and successes over these past three years, and inspire us to keep on persevering as we prepare to move to Minnesota so that we can begin the next phase of graduate school with myself as the scholar.
Enjoy and be inspired!
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Excerpts from Denzel Washington's commencement speech:
"I’ve found that nothing in life is worthwhile unless you take risks.
Nothing.
Nelson Mandela said:
“There is no passion to be found playing small—in settling for a life that’s less than the one you’re capable of living.”
I’m sure in your experiences—in school… in applying to college… in picking your major… in deciding what you want to do with life—people have told you to make sure you have something to “fall back on.”
But I’ve never understood that concept, having something to fall back on.
If I’m going to fall, I don’t want to fall back on anything, except my faith. I want to fall… forward.
At least I figure that way I’ll see what I’m about to hit.
Fall forward.
First… you will fail at some point in your life. Accept it. You will lose. You will embarrass yourself. You will suck at something. There is no doubt about it.
That’s probably not a traditional message for a graduation ceremony. But, hey, I’m telling you—embrace it.
Because it’s inevitable.
If you don’t fail… you’re not even trying.
My wife told me this expression: “To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did.”
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| (The result of asking a kind stranger to take our family picture.) |
Les Brown, a motivational speaker, made an analogy about this.
Imagine you’re on your deathbed—and standing around your bed are the ghosts representing your unfilled potential.
The ghosts of the ideas you never acted on. The ghosts of the talents you didn’t use.
And they’re standing around your bed. Angry. Disappointed. Upset.
“We came to you because you could have brought us to life,” they say. “And now we go to the grave together.”
So I ask you today: How many ghosts are going to be around your bed when your time comes?
Whatever it is… what are you going to do with what you have?
Now here’s my last point about failure:
Sometimes it’s the best way to figure out where you’re going.
Your life will never be a straight path.
Because taking a risk is not just about going for a job.
It’s also about knowing what you know and what you don’t know. It’s about being open to people and ideas.
I can’t think of a better message as we send you off today.
To not only take risks, but to be open to life.
To accept new views and to be open to new opinions.
To be willing to speak at commencement at one of the country’s best universities… even though you’re scared stiff.
While it may be frightening, it will also be rewarding.
Because the chances you take… the people you meet… the people you love...the faith that you have—that’s what’s going to define your life."
Congratulations Jesse!
WE DID IT!
