Graduation Speech -- Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

Life, it is often said, is the greatest mystery. How many times throughout our lives do we pause and ask ourselves: Why are we here? What is our purpose? Or some other infinitely ponderous question. Here and now, as we stand teetering upon a great threshold welcoming us into a whole new realm of independence, is no exception. Tonight the many mysteries of life hang over us, but instead of casting a shadow, they are illuminating our world and setting a glow in our eyes and in our hearts. If you think there is no mystery around you now, I invite you to ask yourself: How did we get here? Can you recall the specifics? When we were full of hope, who shared in our elation? What will we do now? For some, the answer to that last question is simple. Some of us are looking ahead to work or furthering our education and others are looking no farther than this summer or even later tonight. But what about ten years from now? Twenty? All that we do now directly affects every coming second, just as all that we have done in the past has brought us to this point. Along the way there has been roc...