VALEDICTATOR

Websters defines Commencement as, and I quote, “an act, instance, or time of commencing.” Unquote. But I ask you, fellow graduates, what will, in fact, commence today? Is this really a commencement at all? It was, in fact, the awkwardly named Greek philosopher Heraclitus who suggested to his fellow Grecians, “It is, dear Greeks, not possible to step into the same river twice. For it is not the same river, and he is not the same man.” Unquote. Well clearly, Hermaphradites never visited our town…a simple place where each of us has the opportunity to step into either of two gorgeous rivers as many times as he or she wants. Pretty much any time he or she wants, as long as its not after curfew or there is not a high water warning issued from the local authorities. So. What do I mean? What do I wish to impart to you, my fellow high schoolians…and said parents of said high schoolians and said teachers, faculty and staff? In a nutshell, plenty. But please hear me when I say that graduation, though important, is neither an ending nor a beginning. Trust me. You can go home again, Walt Whitman. And our home is here. With each other. In our minds. Together, forever. Free to return to this happy moment, ad infiinitum. And once more. If we so choose. Free at last, thank goshamighty, we are…free. At last. And oh, the places we’ll go!