Oh, the Places You’ll Go!
In less than a month, a little more than 50 seniors will be graduating from my pediatric practice as they also are graduating from high school, and many of them I’ve known since they were in kindergarten! It amazes me to realize that I’ve been in private practice long enough to see bright-eyed five- and six-year olds grow into young adults ready to leave their parents’ nest, and brings me back to memories of my high school graduation (ahem!) three decades ago. Reflecting on who and where I was then versus what I’ve learned since, I want to share in bestowing “words of wisdom” upon this year’s graduating class from Cevey Pediatrics.
I remember the excitement of feeling like the whole world was out there just waiting for me to discover my role in it. Youthful idealism and enthusiasm easily motivate one to aim for big goals, and there’s definitely nothing wrong with that. In shooting for the moon, though, we shouldn’t lose sight of the everyday events in our day-to-day lives in which we can take on roles that are just as important. Rather than passively allowing situations to unfold and end up being boxed into a position that is at odds with who we’re realizing we are, we should stand firm in our emerging self-identity and take an active role in what’s going on around us. In other words, know who you are and who you want to be and don’t let somebody push you into doing something you wouldn’t have wanted to do in the first place. Be cautious, though, and always pay heed to whether your actions might limit the personal development of or infringe upon the rights of others around you. Intentionally look out for ways in which you can use your strengths to lift up others who might be faltering. “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.” 1 Timothy 4:12
In consciously choosing those actions you take each day that affirm who you realize you’re becoming, you may eventually find that you end up not exactly where you thought you were going to be, but hopefully it will be a better and truer representation of who you are.
