A letter to a brand new graduate

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a letter the author wrote to her grandson, Jem Baker, who just graduated from high school, and will attend Lafayette College in Pennsylvania in the fall.

Dear Jem,

Nobody gave me a gift or a card when I graduated from high school, and it never occurred to me to expect them. 

Here is what I now wish someone had written to me, or ideally, written and discussed with me.

Do not be afraid to take risks and tackle big or even fearsome challenges.

Do not be afraid to try new things, even things that do not immediately strike you as appealing.

Do not be afraid to make mistakes. “A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new,” said Albert Einstein.

Try to keep an open mind about people, academic subjects, opinions, events, activities, places, foods, art, literature, music, opportunities, and many other things.

Try to be a keen observer, using all your senses as fully as possible.

Try to mix academic studies with physical and social and recreational activities. Mix in some daydreaming, too.

Try to keep hold of your most important principles. Try to be a good citizen and a fair player. Try to be honest, kind, thoughtful, helpful and generous.

Words of wisdom from people far wiser than I am:

Mistakes are a sign of trying, and it is always better to try and fail than to fail to try. — Robert Washington

One must never forget when misfortunes come that it is quite possible they are saving one from something much worse; or that when you make some great mistake, it may very easily serve you better than the best-advised decision. — Winston Churchill

Failure is instructive. The person who really thinks learns quite as much from his failures as from his successes. — John Dewey

A man’s mistakes are his portals of discovery. — James Joyce

Mistakes can help us fine-tune our skills, learn better ways of doing things, and get our priorities straight. — Angela Agranoff

The greatest mistake you can make is to believe that you have to do everything on your own power. Do not assume that asking for help or guidance is to admit defeat. In fact, it is just the opposite. 

To ask for help or to accept help to accomplish a goal is to also ingrain into your own spirit that you will help others over obstacles and hurdles as well. — Catherine Pulsifer

Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be. — Abraham Lincoln

May your future bring you much knowledge and understanding, satisfaction, happiness, close friendships, love, excitement and wonderful surprises.

Miriam Helbok