In Closing

1. In Closing Aquatic Science Class of 2013

2. Don’t surround yourself with different looking versions on yourself. You life will be enriched and challenged by being around different people. • The quickest way to halt personal growth is to quit challenging yourself Diversity

3. People will move in and out of your life, sometimes for better, sometimes in pain. Make sure you know your role in those life events & hold onto the better times because those moments are a gift not a guarantee. Loss

4. Teachers, as many professionals, need to be doing a better job. If you have had a truly bad teacher, tell them. Tell them why you feel like they didn’t serve you as a student. But your interaction needs to be as though two adults are talking, not a whining child complaining about an authority. If you have had outstanding teachers, tell them that and tell them why. Many people find this job to be difficult & hearing from a student that you are doing well can make a huge difference, because we are certainly not being rewarded financially for our work. The average career span of a teacher in Texas is 4 years, we need to be doing better as professionals. Your Teachers

5. Relationships are what matter. Be it eros, philos, or agape, being with people you love will make you happy. Stuff can make you happy, but love will give your life meaning. As defined by our current zeitgeist, a happy life and a meaningful life are two different lives. Happiness

6. No one owes your respect. Respect is something earned, not awarded like a participation trophy. Adult life lacks participation trophies. If you want respect you must act respectable. Respect

7. Many may never notice your hard work, though thoughtful & wise leaders never miss hard work. Laziness is known by all. Hard Work

8. Be patient, always, in everything you do. Very few moments in life are a truly “big deal.” Don’t reduce those moments by treating every situation like a big deal. Patience

9. There are very few moments in life that hold as much opportunity as the stage of life that you are now entering…do not waste those opportunities. Your Next Chapter

10. We live in a world lacking kindness. I’ve grown up hearing (you probably as well) that things are different now; it was better back when we were young, etc. The older I get the more I am convinced that this is a lie, that this is how things have always been. Since the start of mankind we have treated each other with hatred, distrust, and dishonesty. • It is naive to think that we will ever change the world with our lives, but each one of us can bring a moment of rest, joy, or reprieve to someone in need if we have the patience. You can make a monumental difference in someone’s life by being the one who stays by their side, by picking someone up when they have fallen, by taking care of someone that will never return the favor. Kindness

11. Live a life that you can be proud of, but do not live only for yourself.

12. All in all, life is fleeting, and I have never known a moment of anger, fear, or fight that could not have been better spent with kindness, patience, or love. You may never know what good, if any, that you have done. But you will never cause harm to those that you treat with kindness. Kindness

13. You guys are the kindest group of students that I have ever had the privilege to teach. I sincerely hope that you have enjoyed your time here, and if not, I hope that you have expanded your perspective on life. Keep in mind that life is broad, a field with infinite directions, not a narrow road, not a single moment, not a single thought, theory, or belief. I hope that you all find love in what you do and with whom you spend your time. I hope you find unimaginable happiness, and achieve the tremendous amount of good that I know each and every one of you are capable of. I will truly miss you guys. From me…