To the graduating class of… whenever.
The world doesn’t care how many times you fall down, as long as it’s one fewer than the number of times you get back up. Always be guided by the light of knowledge and wisdom to shape your future, the future of your country, and the future of the world. Just remember you can’t climb the ladder of success with your hands in your pockets. It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all-in which case, you fail by default. I’ve learned that I can pretty much do anything I’ve wanted to as long as I was methodical and diligent about it. Live all your life. Understand it, see it, appreciate it. And have fun. On behalf of frogs, fish, pigs, bears and all of the other species who are lower than you on the food chain, thank you for dedicating your lives to saving our world and our home. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. Death is very likely the single best invention of life. It’s life’s change agent; it clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now, the new is you. But someday, not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it’s quite true. Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice, heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary… Stay hungry, stay foolish. So whatever your dream is right now, if you don’t achieve it, you haven’t failed, and you’re not some loser. But just as importantly — and this is the part I may not get right and you may not listen to — if you do get your dream, you are not a winner.Wear sunscreen. The real world won’t care as much about your self-esteem as much as your school does. It’ll expect you to accomplish something before you feel good about yourself. This may come as a shock. Usually, when inflated self-esteem meets reality, kids complain that it’s not fair. And thank your parents! Of course, if you don’t thank them now, you’ll have plenty of time to thank them tomorrow when you move back in with them.
Need some more graduation wisdom? Try here
In 2010 C2E2 was the first convention to grant me a Professional Badge… Now to be honest I signed up as a teacher not a cartoonist, but still It was a pro badge. In 2011 I remember sitting the hotel bar that had been taken over by Comic Book Resources, if I recall correctly (but probably not), and they had a special convention beer on tap- one made by one of my favorite breweries, 3 Floyds, it was called Zombie Dust & I had found a new favorite. As part of a collaboration between the brewery and the comic book industry. In later years Revolution Brewing in Chicago (not Indiana) provided the official convention beer “Galaxy Hero” which is good, but nothing compares to Zombie Dust. Since then micro-breweries actually have a panel at C2E2 to discuss comics and beer. I’m not alone in my appreciation for Zombie Dust, since it is a holy grail for some beer snobs. I just like it and as the school year draws to a close it is nice to have around the house after a hard week in the classroom.
