So…I’m standing in my kitchen this morning thrilled to find a loaf of bread in the freezer – it means I won’t have to go to the store today and can wait until tomorrow when there’s money in the checking account again – when my husband comments on the story in the Trib this morning about NU graduates ticked off that Mayor Daley is the commencement speaker.

Nice.

Really, seniors? That’s all you’ve got to whine about? Look - we’d all like Barack Obama, Stephen Colbert, or Kofi Annan to see us off on our life’s great journey. But let me tell you something – in 10 years, you won’t remember who gave your speech, let alone what they said. Whatever you may think of Mr. Daley, the guy has done a heckuva lot more with his life than you have yet, so get off that high horse, sit on your arse and listen to him. Or don’t. No one says you have to go to your graduation. A shame you would miss it after all that hard work, but your choice.

I can understand and respect your disappointment that your university didn’t snag that “big” name to mark the occasion, but to go so far as to e-mail the university president to express your displeasure says to me that you simply have nothing to worry about. Must be nice. Maybe you can take that time you would have been listening to Mr. Daley speak to reflect upon some of the problems of others, since that’s the biggest fish you have to fry. Take for instance, the handful of classmates you surely must have who can’t afford their tuition next year. Maybe their parents just lost jobs and have to tell their son or daughter they can’t go back. Or how about the classmate that just got diagnosed with cancer? Or the one who’s got family in Iraq?

And if your university’s choice for a commencement speaker is this upsetting to you, it’s my sincere hope this is the biggest personal tragedy you endure. Because life is not college. I hope you land that six-figure job right out of the chute, you never have to drive a car that’s “beneath” you, you snag a smoking hot husband or wife, you and your family all remain in excellent health, your children don’t challenge you in any way, you can always make that mortgage payment on that McMansion in that perfect neighborhood, your stock portfolio never disappoints, and cryogenics advances far enough that you should never have to experience grief over the loss of a loved one. Because if not, I fear you’re going to be bitterly disappointed in life.

You have just spent the last four or more years working hard to educate yourself - it’s too bad that education didn’t have an impact on common sense.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, May 29th, 2008 at 12:15 pm and is filed under Evanston(t) , Thoughts(t) , Check this out!(t) . You can leave a response.