Commencement Address for Revere High School Class of 2006

Akron, Ohio

June 4, 2006

Jacqueline C. Bresnahan, Ph.D.

First, congratulations graduates! Congratulations to you! And, congratulations to your families, parents and your teachers for guiding you to this point!

I was truly honored to be asked to give this address. I give many lectures at Ohio State University where I work as a professor and researcher. But this is a different kind of talk than I am used to giving, and I was a bit perplexed as to what to say. So I decided to ask as many different people as I could, what they would say to you if they were given this opportunity. It was interesting because most of the responses focused on a few fundamental principles even though the people I asked were of many different ages- 18-86 – and from many different walks of life.

At times of celebration like graduations, we focus on basic principles because these celebrations mark life transitions. We have established ritual ceremonies to mark these important passages- rituals that have deep historic backgrounds as reflected in these weird medieval get ups we are all wearing?! Who thought up these outfits anyway??? No one in their right mind would wear a hat like this unless it was a very special occasion!  But the rituals mark these events as unique times in our lives, times of celebration for things accomplished, and times of hope for the future.

When my older daughter graduated from Ohio State – the commencement speaker was Bill Cosby. He was very funny but his message was “Listen to your parents--- they know. They have been through what you will be going through. Listen to your parents!” This was a good message, and being a parent, it certainly resonated with me!  But it is also important for you to have your own internalized set of values and this is what those many people I asked for advice gave to me.

Most agreed that today you are standing at one of the more important transition points in your life. Many of you will soon be moving from the comfortable and safe environment of your family homes to your first experience of living on your own. Whether that is college, the military, or whatever path you have chosen, this will be a thrilling part of your life. You will be away from the watchful eye of your parents and you will need to remember that now you have to take good care of yourself.

Many of my friends said to tell you to take responsibility for your actions. They said that the best way to move into the future is by taking responsibility for the present. Seize the day. ‘Carpe diem’ in Latin; this is a very old adage.  Make the most of every opportunity, every experience. Remember that it is not what life gives you, it is how you take it. Have hope and faith that we can move our society and our world forward in a positive and responsible way. As the doors close behind you, be assured that new doors will open before you. Understand that there will always be new and interesting opportunities ahead. Search them out. Take life for all it is worth. There will be both good times and bad. Make the most of each, knowing that they both will pass. Embrace the beauty of the world around you and use this to sustain you. Draw energy from a breathtaking sunset, from observing the beautiful countryside, from art. Let these things center you and ground you.

Many of my friends said to follow your dream. Use that dream to set goals for yourself. Some people know exactly what they want to achieve, other people’s ideas are vague. It doesn’t matter where you are on this spectrum; the important thing is to aspire to accomplish something whether it is close at hand or far into the future. Aspire to do great things. Make plans and act on those plans. Even if you don’t get as far as you had hoped, it will move you forward, and give you a sense of control and accomplishment. One friend said that his grandmother used to say “Reach for a star, but be careful you don’t land on a pig!”  This analogy is a bit opaque to me, perhaps because I never lived on a farm. But I think it means to temper your aspirations with a bit of realism. Balance is obviously an important thing.

Other of my friends advised that you should choose work that you like to do. This advice came from people who had changed careers and found that they were much happier and were more productive working at something they liked to do. They wondered why they did not change earlier since they knew all along that they didn’t enjoy what they were doing.  There will always be difficult times and hardships to bear. Life will be easier if your work provides you with a sense satisfaction. My Dad said ”Work hard” – life will be more fulfilling. The majority of your waking hours will be spent working or thinking about work. Choose something that you like -it will be your life, not anyone else’s. Often, it will be difficult to see where those choices will lead. But, if you let your heart guide you, the choices will be easier to make, you will be more productive, and your life will be more fulfilling.

Another friend’s grandmother said to respect other people. Appreciate people for their diversity. Everyone has something to offer- find out what those interesting and unique things are, and focus on them. We live in a global society. Let the commonalities between all people help you relate to others and provide a basis for communication and for a sense of community. Seize each opportunity to get to know other people, to understand different cultures, and to use that knowledge to recognize our commonality. Embrace the principle expressed by our founding fathers in the Declaration of Independence that all men are created equal. Our government derives its power from the consent of the governed. Participate in the political process. Use your votes to move our country forward in a positive and responsible way.    

Finally, both young and old said to take responsibility for our planet. The earth is ours to preserve or destroy. Each person is part of the ecosystem. Find ways to live lightly on the land, to disturb the natural order of things as little as possible, to preserve our home, our beautiful planet, for your children, and their children, and their children and their children. You can make a difference. You are the future. Set the course of your life and the world on a positive and responsible path. 

My work on spinal cord injury has brought me into contact with many inspiring people who have taken control of their lives in the face of incredible adversity. One of those was Christopher Reeve, the actor and activist who suffered a devastating injury to his spinal cord that left him unable to move or breathe on his own. He was unbelievably inspiring as he fought to overcome the consequences of his injury and to continue on with his life.  I would like to close with a quote from Mr. Reeve that resonated with me and I hope will resonate with you.

He said “So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable”. 

I hope that your dreams become inevitable! Congratulations!!