Life is a big store, a market.
Now, before you tune out, let me explain this strange analogy. You'll get what I'm saying
What do people do in life? They do what they want to do. They spend life trying to get what they want. Whether that's possessions, wisdom, fame, fortune or simply survival, people everywhere right now are living life getting what they want.
You're probably thinking: Hey, what about those people that spend their lives serving others or serving God? Think about it some more. Let's say that a guy wants salvation, he's going to spend his life attaining salvation. Let's say she wants to end child hunger. She'll work to end child hunger.
While poverty and becoming famous are very different things, the want is not. The feeling of true want is the same for all of us no matter what it is you're wanting. It's this want that makes us human and keeps us involved in this thing called life.
Now you might begin to understand why I've compared life to a market. Why do people go to the market or to the store or to the mall? It's because they want something. You want food? Go to the store and buy some. You want clothes? Buy them. You want to give a gift to someone? Find it at the mall!
In the same way, life is a market. You want more knowledge? It's yours if you pay for it by studying. You want skill? It'll cost you many hours of practice. You want to graduate? That'll come out to four years of hard work, as you all have done.
Now, here's some good news: tonight, our market is expanding! We're moving on to a new market, in a bigger building at a larger town with more people who want better things. Moments in our lives such as learning how to read or graduating from high school are, simply put, expansions of our market of life.
But, before we "move on to the big time," we need to do something that all good merchants do: we need to take stock of what we have. I don't mean for you to go home after this and count up how many cans of food you have (not that that's not important.) I mean, reflect upon yourself and your life and take your personal inventory.
Look around you. Look within you.
Raoul Wallenberg, a man who saved thousands from the horrors of the Holocaust, told the story of a Rabbi and the lesson that he taught to his young learners. The Rabbi asked the young boys the following question: When is it that night turns into day? One boy offered that perhaps it was when he was on his way home from a friend's house, and he could see the sun coming up over the top of his house in the distance. The Rabbi kindly replied that no, that was not it. Another boy suggested that perhaps it was when he was in the forest, and he could see the sun coming through the tops of the trees above him. The Rabbi once again turned down the answer. And then the Rabbi gave the correct response. The point at which night turns into day is when you can look into the eyes of a perfect stranger and see your brother.
“We must start thinking of students as workers,” a high school official states (334). In the article, “Preparing Minds for Markets”, children had been asked what they wanted to be when they grew up. When asked, it seemed as though they had
Wow, three years have passed and the last day is just as long as the first. Three years of hard discipline and learning to get used to homework every night. Three years of standing on the front steps waiting for my parents and saying goodbye to my teachers. I never thought the goodbye might be permanent. 6th grade came and I was looking up at those giant 8th graders, and now I guess I’m one of them. 6th grade, and I was saying hello, and now 8th grade has come and it’s gone from introductions to goodbyes as my last days as a middle school student wind down.
I would like to begin this evening by welcoming all of my classmates, staff, parents and guardians, the school board and superintendent, friends, and relatives to the commencement of the class of 2012.
Graduation is an exciting time in a person’s life, especially a high school graduation. When I think of family and friends gathering together to celebrate a joyous occasion, I feel I accomplished my strongest goal. It never occurred to me that graduation would be the end of my youth and the start of adulthood. Graduating from high school was an influential event that gave me an altered outlook on my existence. Life before graduation, preparing for graduation day, and commencement day overwhelmed me for reality.
Congratulations, County High Class of 2012, our thirteen-year marathon is over. Some of you may know I am a distance runner, part of an immensely successful cross-country and distance track program. We were fourth at the state cross-country championships, and we are the best senior boys team in the state. My involvement in athletics truly linked me with our school and granted me friends whom I will remember for a lifetime. One of the most important aspects of my time in high school was getting involved. Wherever your next journey takes you, don't sit back and watch the action. Take the initiative and you will experience the benefits. Just look around you. These are the people you grew up with, the people you were teammates with and the people you have survived dozens of classes with for the last four years. They are not merely faces in a yearbook. They are your people, your community, your family. They are the greatest benefit of being involved.
A long time ago in what seems like another lifetime, we were once little children watching the blinking TV while we sat eating Mac and Cheese without a care in the world. So much time has passed since then, how quickly time flies. Now, instead of walking to the bus for our first day of kindergarten, we are walking across this stage for our diplomas - I think everyone will agree that it's all about time.
Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Sitting in the backseat of the car, I used to bombard my family with these questions. On our summer road trips I was so anxious for the destination that I failed to appreciate the journey. However, as time passed and I grew older, I realized that it was the journey that was important and not the destination.
Many Christians believe that good works are not an important aspect in life because the most important thing is whether a person is saved or not However, there are many verses in Scripture that are very clear about the importance of good works in the life of a believer. It is important to stress that before good works are counted unto righteousness, the foundation of a relationship with Christ must be set. John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not parish but have everlasting life.” Without Jesus there is no foundation but there is much more to life than getting saved. After a person is born of the Spirit, their life will be examined and their works will be judged.
Many people wish that they can be rich or famous; some of them wish they can be both. Being rich is not the same as being famous; they each have a different meaning in many aspects. The society refers to a person with money as a rich person, and to a person who is widely known as a famous person. Some people get confused between the two terms, because nowadays, most people get famous because they are rich, but that should not be the case.
Hi, my name is Pat and I would like to start today by thanking the seniors of 2012 for choosing me to speak today. It is truly my honor.
Almost everybody hopes to be rich. Society believes that only the social status can define the kind of person you are. Majority of
living people are in to gain success. It’s also something our economy thrives off of. You wouldn’t think so, but it’s true. That’s why I chose it to be my essay topic. It’s that need to get to work in the morning to spend yet another day kissing butt and working like a dog so maybe just maybe you’ll be able to have enough money to live on. Until of course you’re on your way home and see the cutest little thing in the store window and that little voice in your head says, “oh darling it’s simply perfect, you’ve just got to have it”. That voice gets everyone into trouble doesn’t it?
Just life and good life have goals for which we need to find means. But simply life, or survival, is a means for a good life. It is impossible to live well without staying alive for as long as possible.