Be The Change

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Imitation is the sincerest flattery.

Ghandi

The graduation ceremony for the PHS class of 2010, Ebay’s class, was a week ago today. The theme of the graduation was something along the lines of

"We can change the world.”

I didn’t manage to snag a program, so I’m not completely sure I have that right. But since there were no less than 6 speakers and every single one of them used the famous quote by Mahatma Ghandi - You must be the change you wish to see in the world – I’m pretty sure I’m at least in the ballpark (or would that be themepark ;-)

With that many speakers in a row with essentially the same theme it got to be a little comical - we almost started placing bets on when the quote was coming in the next speech (hey, at least we didn’t bring an air-horn).

But despite, or probably because of the repetition these words have been running through my mind a lot this week. I can really get behind Mahatma Ghandi on this idea. As any parent who has ever argued with a 3 year-old can tell you the only thing you really have control over is yourself and your own actions or reactions - the same thing goes for arguing with a 13 year old too come to think of it. And despite or perhaps because of the lack of variety in the PHS grad speaker’s quotation choices, I found with a little research that Ghandi had a lot of other good things to say that I wouldn’t mind adding to that graduation Ghandi wisdom.

So here’s some more thoughts by the Mahatma that I can get behind and that graduates of every age could maybe learn something from too.

The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.

Whenever you are confronted with an opponent. Conquer him with love.

There is nothing that wastes the body like worry, and one who has any faith in God should be ashamed to worry about anything whatsoever.

Nobody can hurt me without my permission.

Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.

Yes sir, that Ghandi was a wise, wise man. Congratulations 2010 Graduates!