Periodically, I force myself to review some of the things I’ve written here over the life of this column, and I am sometimes surprised at an opinion I expressed. Most of my statements are fairly inconsequential or dated and it’s best to leave them in the past. (I am often embarrassed at some strong statement about technology or values that I have since completely reversed – and find myself hoping nobody noticed.) But then, that’s part of progress and the learning process.
At other times, I find a kernel of truth that I barely hinted at, an intriguing idea that could have expanded into a fairly thought provoking column. I sometimes elaborate on those topics and improve on them by expressing a more up-to-date view. I justify this to myself by declaring that a good idea deserves a fair hearing.
I often marvel at how often history repeats itself. Every spring, someone in my life begins a new stage in their life. A grandchild, a neighbor, a long-time friend moves on to a new phase, whether it’s graduating from high school, beginning a long and arduous internship, exploring a new or unexpected field of interest, getting married, starting a new job, or retiring, all are life-changing events. Common to nearly everybody is the graduation from high school. A large percentage of people make it that far – many more than did so my lifetime ago when opportunities were fewer and the high school diploma was considered less important. When wars and economic depression affected teenagers by requiring them to help support their families left suddenly without husbands and fathers.
All those things have changed yet remain the same for each generation. As I review some of my past writings, I find truths that have changed little and that are still as relevant as they were originally. The following may have changed quite a bit in perspective since I first wrote it, but it has proven to be on target for all those years since. I hope you will find some truths in it.
TASTING ALL THE COOKIES; Many of you, both young and mature, are graduating this spring. You’ve worked hard to earn your diplomas and degrees. The ceremonies and celebrations are justifiable acknowledgment of all the effort. You now have new skills, new facts in your heads, some impressive letters after your name, the potential to earn more money during your lifetime. I congratulate you; I am proud of you. I hope you also got an education along the way.
A true education need not be the product of a school. A school is only an institution, like a church or a government. These can be stifling, confining, limiting. Too often, they require a conformity that forces us all to be alike. The human race sometimes behaves as if we know what perfection is and it can only be our way. We require everyone, including ourselves, to strive for the same ideal.
Schools need teachers who can show students how to learn. All it takes is one inspired teacher, one wise parent, to impart that one little secret. When a student knows how to learn, he can get knowledge from everywhere and anywhere. Even poor teachers cannot prevent him from learning.
A student needs to find out who he is, what he is. What he cannot do as well as what he can. He must discover what is available and how he can use it. He needs a good healthy intellectual appetite so that he can taste all the cookies before he gets too full and gives up without finding the best one.
No matter how many classes we take, how many lessons we learn, somewhere along the path, we’re going to look around and say, “Wow! I’ve hardly even started!” Life is too short. There isn’t enough time to read all the best books, see all the wondrous places, know all the interesting people, try all the challenging projects, and we will regret every wasted second before we found the secret of how to learn. I’d like to give this bit of advice to all the new graduates. Don’t be too impressed with the credentials—it’s what you do from now on that counts. They call it Commencement because it is a beginning – not an end, so hit the ground running and taste all the cookies. Good luck!