The Convocation

This past Friday I had the?honor of being the guest speaker at Alvernia University's 2022 Convocation.?My audience included 616 Freshman, their parents and the Alvernia faculty.? My presentation follows:

Thank you Provost Fitzgerald.?When President Loyack contacted me about this opportunity I asked, "What type of message would you like me to share?"?He thought for a moment and then said, "Tell them all the important things you have learned over the past 70 years.?What do you think you will need, 8 minutes?"??I asked for 9!

The passage of time is a continuous phenomena.?At 18 you are going to live forever and the future is filled with dreams.?At 70, the years are defined, and the dreams have been attained, put aside or in my case, still being chased!?But at either age, the bigger question becomes,?How will you measure your life?

A year and a half ago my life moved into its eighth decade; I turned 70.??Reflection is not uncommon for me, but in the weeks leading up to my birthday, and as recently as?last night, I found myself doing it a bit more than usual; perhaps this is because statistics tell me that this is to be my final decade.?Mind you, I’m not one to be controlled by a statistic, nor am I one to ignore data, but the reality is that life expectancy for a North American male is between the ages of 75-78.?The good news is 35% of the men in my age category will live to see the age of 90, and that number is increasing yearly; I plan to be one of them.

My reflections are often prompted by what I read, and retirement has afforded me the opportunity to read more of the things I want to read.?One of those was Clayton Christianson’s,?How Will You Measure Your Life??The book expands on the 2010 commencement speech he delivered to the graduating class of the Harvard Business School.?Within the book he sets forth a series of questions that become the basis for answering the book’s title.??

1. How can I be certain I will find satisfaction in my career?
2. How can I be certain that my personal relationships become enduring sources of happiness?
3. How can I avoid compromising my integrity?

Think about that question,?How will you measure your life??My reflections have considered the thoughts, ideas, lessons learned and experiences that have led me here today.?Many were grounded in my childhood or captured via crisis or significant event.?Some were discovered in moments of triumph, others were found in the depths of despair.?Some are yet to be discovered.?Regardless they have all served a purpose, and now serve as guideposts as my life continues.?Today I’d like to share my Seven at Seventy!

1. Each Day is a Gift?- Start each day by saying thank you God.?You got up.?Some people went to bed last night expecting another day. It didn’t happen. Acknowledge each day as an opportunity.?There are no guarantees that tomorrow will come.?We’ve all heard the phrase, “Carpe Diem” (Seize the day).?Live that phrase!??
2. Your Values Shape Your Life?- What are the core values that guide your life??Have you written them down and do you refer to them on a daily basis?? Could you easily share them if asked??Here are mine: (1). My Faith is my compass. (2) My Family is my strength. (3) My word is my honor.
3. Let the Past Go?- Learn from the experiences in your life and then move on.?We cannot live in the past.?While it doesn’t hurt to occasionally look in the rear-view mirror, it is much more important to watch the road ahead and prepare for the challenges yet to come.
4. Care for the Caretaker?-?While service to others is a value, we cannot provide it if we fail to care for ourselves spiritually, mentally and physically.?Caring for others, being present, and giving of ourselves requires self care.?When we care for ourselves it enables us to do a better job caring for others.
5. Nurture Your Relationships?- We have many relationships including family, friends, colleagues and others.?Seek to surround yourself with those who will help you become a better version of yourself and strive to do likewise for others.?Be open to constructive criticism, communicate openly and nurture your relationships.?As the saying goes, “What you sow, so shall you reap!”
6. Age is a Number?- This is a recent guidepost for me.?Similar to each day, every new year is to be celebrated for the opportunities that lie ahead.?Equally important, each year we live provides us with experiences that we can then share with others who will be trekking the path we have already traveled.?It is our actions, not our age that defines us!
7. Happiness and Success are Relative?-?As I look back at my life, the criteria that define success and happiness have changed and evolved.?I have learned that happiness does not come from success, rather we are successful because we are happy.?I’ve now come to understand what happiness and success are at seventy.?I wonder what it will be at eighty?

As shared earlier, I’m an avid golfer and I’ve found that we can draw analogies between the game of golf and life.?I’d like to close with an excerpt from a piece I wrote a few years ago called, "The Back Nine".?

So now as I play the back nine, I find myself hitting the ball twenty yards shorter, feeling the aches and pains that come with age, and finding recovery a little slower.?But I’m steadier in my later years, and I’ve learned to manage the course instead of letting it manage me.?While my loss of strength might not let me reach the green in regulation, my approach shot has more than made up for it.

You know, I’m not certain how long this round will last, but I’m excited as the back nine offers new opportunities and challenges.?Like the front, there will be hazards and traps to contend with, but there will also be sand saves and the long putt that drops for a birdie.?Reflection lets me realize that it was the experiences of the front nine that enable me to play better on the back.?Yes, I have regrets; there are things I wish I hadn't done, and?things I should have done, but there are also many things I'm happy to have done.?You see, experience is a teacher that benefits you at a later time!?

You are on the first tee and some of you have a few holes in.?Let me remind you, the back nine will be here faster than you think.?Whatever you would like to accomplish in your life, begin now!?Don't put things off too long!?Life goes by quickly. Do what you can today, as you can never be sure how much longer you will have to enjoy this round.?You have no promise that you will see all the holes on this course we call life, so live today like your game is going to be cut short. Say all the things that you want your loved ones to remember, and hope that they appreciate and love you for all the things that you are, and for all you have done for others.?

Life is a gift to you, the way you live your life is your gift to those who come after. For me, It’s been a good life and I have many to thank for all that has led to this current moment.?As I continue playing this round, I let the combined words of The Grateful Dead and Robert Frost serve as my mantra.......What a long strange trip it’s been, but I’ve got promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep!

?May God bless you and Godspeed