05/22/2025
Dear Class of 2025,
It was just after midnight on September 8, 2006 when I received a call from my parents that they were heading to the hospital anticipating the birth of their first grandchild and my first nephew. They stopped at my house to pick me up and away we went. A few short hours later my nephew Ethan was born, thus beginning my experience with the Class of 2025.
As I watched many of you grow from those newborns to now almost graduates, three things have remained the same....your determination, your concern for others, and your kindness. I've witnessed your determination in the simplest form as you struggled to eat your first ice cream cone on a hot day or tried to figure out how many pieces of candy you could buy with your handful of coins. I’ve continued to witness that same determination through your success in music, sports, drama, art, and mechanics. I’ve attended many of your school events throughout the past 13 years and each one has been better than the last, highlighting your determination to improve and grow. Your concern for others has been shown to me countless times through your friendships, through times of trouble, doubt and loss, and through the simplest of actions like paying for someone else’s ice cream cone. I’ve witnessed your kindness many times as you’ve interacted with your friends, other customers in my shop, and with me. I have no doubt that these three attributes will continue in all of you throughout your future.
As you embark on the next steps of your lives, whether it be attending college, entering the workforce, joining the military, or whatever you decide to try, I leave you with a story that I once read. “One day, a professor entered the classroom and announced a surprise exam. Upon hearing this, all of the students got anxious and started thinking about what would come up in the test. The professor distributed the question paper, with the front side facing down. After handing over the papers to all the students, he asked them to turn the page over and start the test. To everyone's surprise, there were no questions on the test paper. There was just a black dot in the center of the page. Everyone was startled and looked at the professor in awe. The professor told the students “I want you to write a few lines about what you see on the paper." All the students were mystified, but since they didn’t have a choice, they started writing an answer.
Once everyone was through with the test, the professor collected all the answer sheets, and started reading each answer aloud in front of the whole class. Without an exception, all the students had written about the black dot, mentioning its position, size etc. After reading all the answers, the professor addressed the students and told them “none of you will be graded on this test. I just wanted you to ponder over something. All of you wrote about the black dot. No one wrote about the white part of the paper. The same thing happens in our lives too. We all have a white paper to observe and learn from, yet we always focus on the dark spots. We have so many reasons to celebrate – our family, co-workers, friends, good health, a satisfactory job, a child’s smile, the miracles we witness every day, and so on. However, we simply limit our horizons by focusing on just the dark spots – our disappointments, our frustrations, our fears and anxieties, things that bother us, people that wronged us, etc. In our day-to-day lives, we tend to take so many good things for granted, and focus our energy on insignificant dot-like failures and disappointments.” These dark spots in our lives are often small compared to all of the good and positive things that happen to each of us everyday…even though it’s not always easy to see.
Class of 2025 I challenge you to NOT focus on those dark spots that you will encounter in your lives. And unfortunately, there will be more than one. Learn from them, but move on. There is much more to do, much more to see, and much more to life than you even know-–and if you are ever in need of a reminder of how strong you are there are many people in your lives who will give you one—and maybe even an ice cream cone:) So Class of 2025, as you cross that stage to receive your diploma, may you feel the presence of those who have crossed before you to show you the way, of those who have left this Earth that now watch over you, of those who continue to walk beside you to offer friendship and comfort, but most of all may you feel the love of God, your family, your friends and your community each and every day of your lives. Thank you to my nephew Ethan and to all of you for being the “white part of the paper” in my life. I’ve appreciated getting to know you and am grateful for all of your visits to my shop. Go forth and continue to live your lives with determination, concern for others and kindness. I believe in you all! Congratulations and Best Wishes!
Nick
