Dear Class Of 2020,
Off the charts, CONGRATULATIONS are in order for you guys. You are the Class of 2020! And though the future looks uncertain, all that you need to be history makers is within you! No one can withstand the inevitable and unexpected challenges of life (as you’re already living out right now) if the foundation from which they build is NOT rock solid.
Remember the childhood fairytale, ‘The Three Little Pigs’? They left home and went out into the world to seek their fortune. Their mother had admonished them to always do their best. They each built a house to live in. Sadly two of the pigs cut corners. Hay and sand are NOT building materials meant to protect or permanently last. After all, let’s assume all the little pigs knew that somewhere out there lurking in the dark was a big, bad wolf who liked to eat little pigs. (Rather a terrifying fairy tale, right)? So if you knew ahead of time that you would need to be able to escape the drooling harsh teeth of the enemy, you’d better have built a brick house to take refuge in.
The Easy Route
The first two pigs went the easy route, cut corners, went along with the crowd (so to speak) and right on cue, the wolf showed up, huffed and puffed till their house fell down, and ate them (I bet they were wishing they had been smarter and wiser and more willing to heed their mother’s words).
Choose Well
Oh, and about that third little pig? When he heard the words, “I’ll huff and puff and blow your house down,” he was completely self-assured that THAT was NOT going down. He did not cut corners – he did not follow the advice of the other pigs – he did not wimp out – he chose well. He did the harder thing that required him to stand alone and required hard work, BUT in true fairytale style, he got to live and tell about it!
“Anyone who listens to My teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.” (Matthew 7:24-25)
Class Of 2020: The Harder Road
In a culture and a world that will constantly want you to take the easy road, follow the crowd, be like everyone else, and be a resident of LaLa Land (no clue about reality), it really pays high dividends to take the harder road. Do your absolute best, only compare yourself to yourself, do NOT follow the crowd, beware of cliffs, watch for signs, hazards, alerts, and shop around for the strongest bricks to build your life on.
It can feel lonely standing alone. For sure! But better alone and safe, than with the crowd barreling headfirst over a cliff to your death.
So again, congratulations Class of 2020. You are the toughest of the tough – go change the world. Look deep within for the tools you need for your future. Your tool bag has been being well stocked and is ready to go.
Choose well. Build well. End well.
