Graduation Address

In 1854, the Government of the United States approached a tribe to purchase some land. The reply given by Chief Seattle was an eloquent statement of the importance of land to his people. He stated as follows:

"If we sell you the land, you must remember that it is sacred, and you must teach your children that it is sacred and that each ghostly reflection in the clear water of the lakes tells of events in the life of my people?You must teach your children that the ground beneath their feet is the ashes of our grandfathers. So that they will respect the land, tell your children that the Earth is rich with the lives of our kin. Teach your children what we have taught our children, that the Earth is our Mother. This we know, the Earth does not belong to us. We belong to the Earth. All things are connected like the blood which unites one family. Whatever befalls the Earth befalls the children of the Earth. We did not weave the web of life. We are merely a strand in it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. Even the whiteman, whose God walks and talks with him as friend to friend, cannot be exempt from this common destiny.

WE MAY BE BROTHERS AFTER ALL, WE SHALL SEE."

This very profound insight has great significance to us in this day and age. Today your generation has inherited what your parents, grandparents, relatives, corporations, governments and all of society have contributed to Mother Earth. This includes relationships with people and with other forms of life. It is an awesome responsibility to accept the stewardship of this land and of those who live on this land. You have to think beyond your immediate lives and those of your children. You need to rely on all the wisdom that you have acquired in your quest for knowledge at this University in all the disciplines represented at this gathering.

Each of you has earned the right to have your ideas and thoughts heard and recognized. Your decisions and actions will influence the collective future of our society, which must be cognizant of others here at home as well as people throughout the world. The very concept of university denotes a holistic idea of universality that encompasses more than those who are privileged to be gathered in this setting.

This reminds me of what an Elder told me about the importance of life. She said:

"THERE IS ONLY ONE RIGHT IN THIS WORLD. IT IS THE RIGHT TO LIFE. THE REST OF OUR LIFE IS A PATH OF RESPONSIBILITY."

The challenge for each of us is to discover what it is we are being asked to be responsible for, whether in religious life, political life, the law, business, engineering, health or in whatever path we are asked to walk. There is no path that is more important than the next.

Among my people, this equality of persons, this respect for each path is what we are asked to share with others. Our Spirituality is based on mutual trust and respect for the faiths of others because we are not asked to judge how other people exercise their responsibility. We are just asked in a humble way to accept the other for whom that person is. We try to discover what our responsibility is to our brothers and sisters, to the elders, to the children, to those who are the same age, whether male or female.

The question of how to discern, discover or determine our path results in a very important transformation. It has been my personal experience that the discernment process of deciding what I should be doing is an important part of my life. I attend a Spiritual Retreat once a year so that I can focus on what the Creator is asking me to do. The message I receive is not one I would necessarily choose on my own. But by placing my trust and love in the hands of the Creator, I have come to accept in prayer what will make my life more fulfilling.
Since mid-April 2015, when there was a devastating earthquake in Nepal, there has been a noticeable awareness of the frailties of life and our existence. This is a very humbling experience. It shows us how small our world is and how events in other corners of the world have a profound effect on our daily lives. It indicates that during a world crisis, we need to turn to one another for support and guidance.

I would encourage each of you to take time to meditate, reflect on and discern your vocations in life and to determine what will fulfill your dreams and aspirations. I would encourage you to listen to one another and reach out to those who are suffering, struggling or facing hardships. You will receive inner strength and energy that will sustain you. I want to share this quote from George Bernard Shaw:

YOU SEE THINGS AS THEY ARE AND ASK "WHY?" BUT I DREAM THINGS THAT NEVER WERE AND ASK "WHY NOT?"

As you venture into your promising future and meet the challenges in your lives, aspire to pursue the question: WHY NOT? You may discover a new quality of life for the benefit of humanity. You may create hope for those less fortunate.

I would also encourage you to set aside time to celebrate your achievements and other milestones with a genuine gratitude for your gifts and those of others who have walked with you. It only takes two words, "THANK YOU", to inform others of your respect for their wisdom.

In the tradition of my people, I wish to end this address with a prayer for you as you celebrate and enjoy this proud moment in your lives with your family and friends. This prayer is one that I recite as I begin each day.

A PRAYER OF GRATITUDE

O Divine Gift - giver,
I stand beneath the endless waterfall
of your abundant gifts to me.

I thank you especially for the blessings of life,
the most precious of all your gifts to me.

I thank you, ever-generous One,
for clothing to wear
for food and drink to nourish my body
for all the talents and skills
that you have bestowed on me.

I thank you for the joys of my life,
for family and friends
for work that gives me a sense of purpose
and that invests my life with meaning.

I thank you as well
for the sufferings and trials of my life
which are also gifts
and which together with my mistakes
are among my most important teachers.

Grant that I may never greet a new day
without awareness of some gift
for which to give you thanks.

And may constant thanksgiving
be my song of perpetual praise to you.

Father, Mother ... a needy one stands before you,
I that sing am that one.

-Source unknown - ascribed to a Native American

Thank you and congratulation to each of you as you receive your Degrees as well. I am humbles to in your graduation ceremony.