For the Graduates

Dear Seniors,

Congratulations! You made it. You’ve come to a significant point in life of ending a chapter and starting a new one. You’ve accomplished so much in your few years of life. This is a time of many emotions- excitement, fear, sadness, optimism, and so much more. There are decisions to be made and plans to make. Maybe you already know what you want to do the day after you receive your diploma, or maybe you still have no idea what to do with yourself. I want to let you know that all of your emotions and uncertainties are ok, common, and even natural.

Most likely, you’ve had people in your life lately try to tell you what you should do with your next steps, and unfortunately you’ll probably continue to. They are probably well-meaning, having had much more life experience than you. However, your life is not theirs and your future isn’t up to them. I often wondered, besides them caring about me, why it mattered so much to others what I did with my life after graduating. “How would my decisions affect people I barely knew or rarely saw?” I would wonder in great annoyance. I know they probably wanted the best for me, and I really appreciated that, but what they may have thought would be good for me could’ve been something that would actually have made my life miserable and go against God’s plans for me. What has worked for me is acknowledging their concern and being appreciative of their care, but not taking their suggestions of doing things that I don’t believe are meant for my life at that time too seriously. I know some of you may struggle with being a people-pleaser, but I don’t believe this is a healthy trait to be giving in to. Don’t let others push you around and let them control your life. Maybe God had them go to a four-year university and get a degree, but that might not be what He has for you. Or maybe they didn’t go to college but wish they had, so are encouraging you to go so you won’t have regrets like theirs. There are many maybes, and we might not know the true intentions of others, but no matter what they say, I want to encourage you to let God lead you and listen to His voice, the only voice that truly matters.

I want to tell you something that I’ve recently realized as a young adult: Your mind will (probably) change, as time continues. If someone had told me that when it was time for me to graduate, there’s a good chance I would’ve dismissed the idea and forgotten about it, because I knew what I wanted to do. For example, there was a certain job I planned to eventually try to get after graduating. However, with my current circumstances at the time, I didn’t feel I should apply for it right then. I ended up having a couple other job opportunities sort of related to the one I’d had in mind that worked out for me, and I really enjoyed them. By the time those jobs came to an end, I didn’t want that original job I’d wanted a couple years before anymore. This kind of surprised me, with how much I’d wanted to eventually have that job. There’s a chance that someday that desire I had as a teenager will come back, but at this time in life I don’t want to follow that “career” anymore. Now, I still have some dreams and desires that I’ve had since childhood, and I hope they won’t go away and they will be fulfilled, but I realize that sometimes throughout life my mind may change as to what I want to do with it, even if only in small ways. Ultimately, I want to follow the Lord’s plan and let Him guide me, and I know that He may call me to do things I never imagined doing.

Speaking of following the Lord and His plan, if that’s what you are trying to do, keep in mind that not everyone will understand that or agree with your way of thinking. It can be frustrating when you’re explaining how you’re trying to do God’s will and want to follow His plan, and then people contradict you. (Well, it’s actually frustrating when people contradict you about anything, but let’s not get into all that right now. (-; ) What I think to myself when these instances occur is that if they aren’t followers of God, it would make sense that they wouldn’t understand, so I shouldn’t take their contradictions to heart or dwell on them. It’s even more frustrating, however, if those contradicting you are people you believe to be brothers or sisters in Christ, as they should be supportive of you and those godly desires. However, I would still try my best not to let their comments get to me and continue to live the way I believe is pleasing to God. I realize this might be easier for some than others, but even when certain things are hard, like letting someone’s rude behavior toward you go, it’s still important to do just the same.

I know times of transition or waiting can be very hard, but let me tell you from experience that they don’t last, and things will eventually start to happen and change. I believe the best things to do in these times are to pray, to trust God, and make the most of the circumstances you’re in. Patience is hard, but the more you practice it, the better you’ll become at it. (That’s the goal anyway, right?) I remember feeling pressure to get a job and make money -not from my parents or anyone else, but from myself with my own reasons- and feeling desperate enough that I was about to apply for a job I really didn’t think I would like and that I didn’t feel would be a good fit for me. Just then, a job opportunity reached me that was certainly right up my alley! I knew I didn’t have to have a job then, but I had my goals and aspirations and I didn’t want to go broke or use up all my savings. I know I was being impatient, and I’m not proud of it, but looking back I can see that God does have things in store for us even when we feel like they’re so far away or out of reach that really are right around the corner.

Congratulations again on your graduation! I wish you the best and encourage you to seek the Lord and follow Him always. There will be hard times, mistakes made, and learning experiences in life, as well as celebration, successes, and growth. With the Lord as your guide, He will always be there for you and help you through anything you face. Happy graduation and have a great summer!

Love, me