Oh The Places You'll Go!

I write this blog for two reasons: 1) graduation season is upon us, and 2) Ryne was just given a pretty cool University of Iowa tee-shirt that portrays my topic.

In the past, when I had a class of students and a little bit of extra time at the end of the school year I would read aloud two stories. One of those stories is one of my all-time favorites. It is written by Theodor Geisel (most likely Ryne’s favorite author), it makes for the perfect graduation gift, and it is an excellent story with many great messages. The story that Geisel (you probably know him Dr. Seuss) wrote is Oh! The Places You’ll Go! I am going to highlight some of my favorite parts, and aim the messages toward Ryne.

You can steer yourself any direction you choose. And you can do anything that you want to do with your life. The excitement of having your whole life in front of you is unmatched. The sky is the limit, Ryne.

With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you’re too smart to go down a not-so-good street. Your Mom and I are raising you in hopes that you will make good decisions…even in difficult situations.

Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest. I know that there are at least two people (your Mom and your Dad) that hold you above all of the rest; remember that, and have confidence in yourself knowing that we believe in you.

Except when you don’t.Because, sometimes, you won’t. I’m sorry to say so but, sadly, it’s true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you. It is true, Ryne. You will not succeed all of the time, and that is okay. Because while your failures may sting when they take place, experiencing those failures make your successes so much more rewarding.

You can get all hung up in a prickle-ly perch. And your gang will fly on. You’ll be left in a Lurch.You’ll come down from the Lurch with an unpleasant bump. And the chances are, then, that you’ll be in a Slump.And when you’re in a Slump, you’re not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done. When you are in a slump, for whatever reason, you may get depressed and think that things will not ever get any better. However, I promise, that things will get better. Slumps don’t ever last forever. Time heals all wounds so be patient. Over time you will come out of your slump and good things will start happening to you, again.

You can get so confused that you’ll start in to race down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space, headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.The Waiting Place…for people just waiting.Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come, or a plane to go or the mail to come, or the rain to go or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow or waiting around for a Yes or No or waiting for their hair to grow. Everyone is just waiting.Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite or waiting around for Friday night or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake or a pot to boil, or a Better Break or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants or a wig with curls, or Another Chance. Everyone is just waiting.Tom Petty once sang, “The waiting is the hardest part,” and he was right, Ryne. Whether you’re waiting for a girl that you like, or an outcome regarding your education, or an employer that you want to work for, or any other important decision that will impact your life; I am sure that you will have to suffer through waiting throughout. Remember, although the waiting is hard, as the cliché says, “good things come to those who wait.” You must learn to be patient, and you must learn to see things/think of things in an optimistic light (it will make the waiting so much easier).

Oh, the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won. And the magical things you can do with that ball will make you the winning-est winner of all. Fame! You’ll be famous as famous can be, with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.Except when they don’t. Because, sometimes, they won’t. Due to my love of sports, I hope that you will love sports equally. The best part about being involved in sports is the lessons that you learn that you will be able to apply to your life as you grow older. If you decide to participate in sports that will just be icing on the cake. I will not ever pressure you into signing-up for any particular sport. I will only coach you if you want me to; and if you want me to I will be very careful about how I go about doing so. My only request is that if you begin a sport, you stick with it at least until that sport’s season is over and then you can give it up if you’d like. If you decide not to participate in sports all together, and you decide to participate in other things or have other hobbies – I’m sure that I will fall in love with those things whatever they are.

I’m afraid that some times you’ll play lonely games too. Games you can’t win ‘cause you’ll play against you.All Alone! Whether you like it or not, Alone will be something you’ll be quite a lot. Being comfortable alone is a good thing; it is called being independent and it is a fine quality to possess.

But on you will go though the weather be foul. On and on you will hike. And I know you’ll hike far and face up to your problems whatever they are. Perseverance. Don’t ever give up Ryne; work hard and be determined to finish what you start. There is a short little poem that I like a great deal because of its message says, “If a task is once begun, never leave it till it’s done. Be the labor great or small, do it well or not at all.” If you are going to start something, commit yourself to doing it well; and once you start something, don’t give up on whatever it is that you’ve started until it is completed.

You’ll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You’ll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act. Don’t ever be afraid to go against the rest of a crowd (probably your peers), if you don’t believe in what they are doing. Being able to go against a crowd of your peers when you know that what they are doing is wrong is so hard to do and requires so much inner strength, but it is the absolute finest way for one to exhibit strength.

Kid, you’ll move mountains!So…be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ale Van Allen O’Shea, you’re off to Great Places! Your name is Ryne; Ryne Bailey Ewald. You will move mountains, you will do great things, and you will be off to great places!