Nurture a youthful exuberance for life

Go ahead and prove Oscar Wilde wrong. Youth does not have to be

wasted on the young.

One more time, our kids -- perhaps it’s time to stop calling them

kids -- have graduated high school, taking that first step to, take

your pick: college, a job, travel, experience. Life.

It can be an intimidating time after high school graduation, a

hectic time. And while we don’t want to add to that craziness, we do

want to add to the flood of good wishes and good advice our graduates

are getting now.

If your plan is to hit the ground running, preparing for college

and earning extra cash with a summer job, good for you. If you opt

for a more mellow transition with hopes of spending the summer with

friends and family, great. You deserve it. High school graduation,

while perhaps not the milestone it once was -- everyone is so focused

on what’s next -- remains a significant accomplishment.

Whatever path you choose, whatever the goal, remember to

appreciate it. It’s pretty easy to let the bright or harrowing future

encompass you, to allow it to become more overwhelming than it really

is. If you made it through a trigonometry class right after lunch,

when your eyelids got so heavy, well, you can make it through just

about anything.

And while you’re making it through, don’t forget to recognize

happiness when it’s in front of you -- and beauty and love. You won’t

want to miss them when they appear.

Most of you have the options and the energy to create your path.

Use that energy, appreciate it and enjoy your life.

Of course, a youthful outlook won’t hurt the parents of graduates

either. Talk about a scary time. The baby is likely about to leave

the nest ... shudder to think.

You’ve done your best to prepare them and now they’re off. But

instead of curling up in a ball, overwhelmed with thoughts of all the

bad elements out there, be proud of them, be happy for them and dream

of what you can do with the extra space ... or, er, dream of all they

are about to accomplish and enjoy.

The amazing eulogy from Max Sadler’s parents is fitting for all

ages. It was a strong reminder that joy in life is precious and

should be recognized and nurtured.

“Take the way Max lived and make his ideals your own; a life with

less sadness and more joy; with less doubt and more faith; with less

fear and more courage.

And don’t forget to smile.”