This will be my final blog of the year and so this is the time where I always say my goodbye to the Senior class. This year is obviously different in so many ways from previous years. Just a few months ago we wouldn't have been familiar with the terms, social distancing, Corona virus, flattening the curve or Covid-19. However those terms are more common to us than we wish. The year didn't end the way we all wanted it to end either. We finished the year with Zoom meetings and Google meets rather than greeting each other in the halls and lunchroom. I guess this shows us that life doesn't always go the way we want it to and we really have to learn to adapt and adjust. I really want to thank all the seniors for the way they have adjusted. So many of you jumped into the online learning system and just did a fantastic job and finished strong. I am starting to feel the anticipation of our online awards ceremony on May 22nd at 6:30 via the Vantage YouTube channel. I think the students are really going to enjoy this great tribute to the Class of 2020.I have a tradition for my final blog and it is repeating the words to one of my favorite songs by Rascal Flatts - My Wish. It's funny but this song was written when most of you were about four years old so you may have to listen to it on YouTube, I think you will enjoy it. The song starts like this:
"I hope the days come easy and the moments pass slow, and each road leads you where you wanna go, and if you're faced with a choice, and you have to choose, I hope you choose the one that means the most to you. And if one door opens to another door closed, I hope you keep on walkin' till you find the window, if it's cold outside, show the world the warmth of your smile. But more than anything, more than anything... My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to, Your dreams stay big, your worries stay small, You never need to carry more than you can haul, and while you're out there getting where you're getting to, I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too, Yeah, this is my wish".
As the words say, I really do hope you enjoy life, take it one day at a time and don't get upset by some of the little things you will face. Shoot, look at all you went through to finish high school, and you made it. I hope you never give up when you run into trouble. Please don't give up on your dreams, use them as motivation. I also want you to know that wherever you end up or whatever you end up doing, I do care for you and I do want the same thing for you. My door is always open after you leave. Feel free to call or email me anytime. I welcome it.
"I hope you never look back, but you never forget, All the ones who love you, in the place you live, I hope you always forgive, and you never regret, And you help somebody every chance you get. Oh you find God's grace in every mistake, and always give more than you take".
Some pretty simple rules that will help you as you head out into the "real world". Don't hold on to grudges or hold on to your anger just because someone may have made you upset. You will find that when you forgive, you will be released and set free from an invisible prison. You will be a better person because of it. Please continue to give back to the community in which you live. You will not believe how good it feels when you reach out and help someone. Many of you have volunteered while you were in school, keep it up every chance you get.
Well, I will miss all of you and I hope you come back to visit once we get back to normal. Thanks for trusting me with your friendship, your troubles and the last two years of your high school. I know all of you are stronger than you think. Keep your chin up and head high. I thought I would close with some words to a new song I recently heard by Kenny Chesney, "It's a big old beautiful world out there. Sometimes you just gotta let it take you where the roller coaster ride meets the tilt a whirl, It's a big old beautiful world". It certainly is, now go and enjoy it.
