INSTIGATING LOGIC
Good luck to the Class of 2007
By JARED PUTNAM Union Sentinel Editor

For some, high school is the greatest chapter in their life and they dread seeing it end. Others hate it and cannot wait to move on. Only one thing is certain, eventually we all have to leave it behind.

It wasn't that long ago that I was turning my own tassel, and it definitely stands out as a major turning point in my life, as it is for most people.

It can also be a very stressful time. Some young men and women are being forced to make important choices for the first time in their young lives. College, career choices, relationships, and plenty of other factors complicate the process. All the while, it seems like everyone a graduate comes in contact with has some profound advice to give.

I know from experience that after a while it can all seem to run together, but it is valuable food for thought. Take the time to listen to those who have been there before.

Keep in mind that just because you weren't the smartest, the most artistic, the most athletic, or the most popular student in high school doesn't mean you won't excel in the real world.

High school is its own bubble, and who you were while you were there may mean very little outside those halls. Those of you who didn't enjoy the experience have to learn to make a fresh start. Those who did enjoy it have to learn to move on, and not stay entrenched in those glory days.

As you move on, just try to always make the best decision you can make at any given time. Don't worry about having all the answers or try to plot out the next 5, 10, or 20 years of your life. It's a waste of time. Those roadmaps tend go out the window very quickly.

Having a plan is important, just don't be too rigid with it. If life is a road, it isn't a straight shot by any means. There are plenty of hairpin turns thrown in, and more often than not you don't get a sign giving you advanced warning.

Sometimes you will have to endure detours on the road to where you are going. At other times you will be forced to take an entirely different path altogether. You may even end up somewhere that you never expected to be.

Circumstances in your life will be altered, people will come in and out of your life, and some of your wants and needs will change. Be ready to adjust to what life throws at you.

Don't be arrogant enough to believe that you alone determine who and what you become. We live in an individualistic society that often buys into that philosophy, but the people in your life are vital in shaping who you are and where you go.

A friend of mine keeps a famous quote on his blog that says, "No man is the whole of himself, his friends are the rest of him."

Up to this point, the people in your life is something that has been out of your control to a certain extent. They were often determined by who is in your family, where you live, and which school or church you went to. Those decisions were typically made by your parents.

Now you begin to determine who is part of your life.

Surround yourself with good people, people you respect, people who care about you. In turn care about them, and what they think of you. Earning and keeping the respect of respectable people may sometimes be the one and only thing that keeps you from doing, saying, or yes, even writing something that you know would cause them to lose respect for you.

The people you surround yourself with in the future will help mold your life just as the people that have been in it so far have helped shape your life to this point. You bear the responsibility of deciding who those people are.

Keep life in perspective and prioritize well. Even though it can be difficult sometimes, try not to sweat the small stuff more than necessary. Many of you have already had significant hardships. Those who have already lost family members or friends probably already have a good perspective about what is important and what is not.

Try to remember that no matter how bad your situation is, there are always plenty of people whose circumstances are infinitely more difficult or tragic. Take a close look around once in a while, and you will be reminded of how fortunate you are.

Ultimately you have more opportunity than many people could ever dream of. You aren't stuck in a city slum or an impoverished third world country. For all its many problems, you still live in one of the greatest areas of the greatest nation in the world. Take advantage of what is before you.

As your pastors have probably told you many times before, God put you here for a reason and with a purpose. Shape your life in such a way that it can be a good purpose. As you go out into the world, keep in mind that you are not only representing yourself, but all those pastors, family members, friends, teachers, coaches, and all the other people who have made a positive investment in your life.

God bless, and good luck to the class of 2007.