Grow an appetite for life's bounty

Editor's Note: Numerous instances of plagiarism have been discovered in Dan Kimber’s “Education Matters” column, which ran in the News- Press from September 2003 to September 2011. In those columns where plagiarism has been found, a For the Record specifying the details will be appended to the piece.

I had the honor of giving the keynote speech at Hoover High's Baccalaureate last Sunday, and it was quite an emotional experience for me. I said goodbye to yet another group of seniors, and I was also saying goodbye to a profession that has treated me well for nearly four decades.

Here's what I said to the kids, with a few spare afterthoughts in the margins.

Thanks to St. Marks Episcopal for providing this beautiful setting, as it has for the last 20 years of graduating seniors throughout our community.

(Thanks to Virginia Young, who volunteers her time to her beloved church and for making this happen for thousands of kids over the years. She is one of those unsung heroes in our community who does great things with no thought of reward or recognition.)

I was asked to say a few words today, and I thank you for that honor.

So, to the class of 2010, my final farewell.

Raise your hands (sorry about that — can't shake the teacher in me) if you have heard any of the following cliches:

"It seems like only yesterday."

"Where did the years go?" (You'll all say variations of these too when you attend your 30th reunions and thereafter, for the rest of your lives.)

"You've only just begun."

"The future is yours."

"Your potential is unlimited." (Those are for you, my children, and a rich harvest of others that we might mention here that would have you nodding in agreement with you minds a thousand miles away.)

It just doesn't seem like that long ago that I was sitting where you are today, so all those sayings and proverbs about how "time flies" — they are, alas, true.

Getting older is inevitable, but how you age is your choice. My first suggestion to you young people is to always, always keep your sense of humor. Life is just too short for you to be too serious, and you are not so old to be out of touch with the silly, giggling child that you once were. As you make your mark in this world, hopefully that little child will be your constant companion.