Congratulations to the graduating classes of 2022!

We at Scott Free Clinic wanted to add our voices to the many extending their “Congratulations!” to all of those graduating in 2022.

Graduation is a significant milestone in life, not just marking an accomplishment of a specific time of learning, but also all the work and relationship-building it took to complete this period of education in your lives.

But this is just one period of learning.

In fact, it won’t take long after grasping that diploma and walking across a stage to congratulatory applause that you’ll roundly be reminded there’s oh so much more to learn!

In fact, if you’re like these students, it could happen before you step off the stage:

It was graduation day, and everybody’s going to get their diploma but David.

At the assembly, the entire senior class stands up and shouts “Let Dave graduate, let Dave graduate!”

The principal agrees to give David one last chance.

“If I have five apples in my right hand and five in my left hand, David, how many apples do I have?” he asked.

Dave thought long and hard and then said: “Ten.”

At that the entire senior class stood up and shouted, “Give Dave another chance. Give Dave another chance!”

My hope for you is that one of the greatest accomplishments you’ve achieved at this time of graduation is that you’ve learned how to learn because that’s a skill you’ll need for the rest of your life.

Right now, you may be anxious to get a break from the books and lectures and study, but don’t put those things away forever. You’ll live better, love better, and more deeply engage life (and accomplish more) if you make a decision to be a life-long learner. The knowledge and skills you have now are good for the moment, but they are woefully lacking for the knowledge and skills you’ll need for a lifetime. Those you gain as you go, as long as you set your mind to keep on learning.

But for now, congratulations on achieving what you have today. Well done!

Scotty