A Few "Money Quotes" From Old Dominion University Graduation

This morning I atteneded the 102nd Commencement Ceremony for Old Dominion University. despite the "doom and gloom" weather reports of earlier in the week, the sky got it all out of it's system last night and moved north east. The day was cool and clear by the time the event of the morning was completed. The speaker for the morning ceremony (they had an AM and PM event, to handle the Class of 2005) was John McCaslin. I'm going to put up a few comments from his speech that that are those uplifting words to new graduates, having to face the reality of "The Real World." John focused on "filling those empty spaces." He was communicating the need to find and fill the holes out there, as you don't know where they will take you, if you don't step forward to see what's in there. Having recently returned from Jordan, he described how he had a new appreciation for those living in the Middle East, and now understood much differently than he had while being "Inside the Beltway" mindset. On "distingiushed spaces:" "They materialize when you choose to take them (over)." "...sometime, somewhere, opportunities arise in the most unlikely places." "...these unexplainable quirks and consequences are that which make life worth living." As to the World, and our Nation after 9/11/2001: "...ours suddenly became a world without 'Front Lines'." On the wisdom of his mother: "The World is a book and he who does not travel the World reads only one page." To those who will become jounalists: "Your job will be to report both sides." And on life in general: "It's never to late to learn." While some us us, those who have travelled the World, and have read volume after volume, to us who have seen the "unexplainable quirks and consequences," and to those of us who have stepped forward to fill open and distinguished spaces, we comprehend what he means. To those just stepping out to the actual work force and life pretty well separated from the family of origin, I think it was great advice to take on board. Almost live from Norfolk, VA, that's the World as it is.