06/02/2026
We are definitely in graduation mode over here…my daughter graduates from high school next week. I’m not quite sure how we got here because I remember my own graduation like it was yesterday. The ceremony was outside, and it poured, so all of our hats were curling on the edges. The heels of my shoes were completely muddy. I sang at the ceremony, and I stood under a blue tarp being held up on the corners by kind humans…I remember the hope of that day. The feeling of joy in the air. And I remember being told all of the usual things….that the world was my oyster. That I would go on to marvelous achievements. That the next years would be some of the best of my life, and I know for many that’s true. But one of the things I wish I had known back then is that not every decision I was going to make in the years immediately following high school would have to be the decision that defined the rest of my life.
There are so many voices telling young people they need a perfect plan. The right school. The right major. The right career. The right path. And having a plan and a pathway is awesome!! I’m all for it!
But life rarely unfolds in the way that one plan is the only plan. And there are very few paths without some unexpected twists and turns.
College is a great option. So is travel. So is gaining work experience, learning a trade, serving your community, or chasing a dream that doesn’t come with a roadmap.
The goal isn’t to have everything figured out at 18. The goal is to keep moving forward, keep learning, keep growing, and keep paying attention to what comes next.
And if you discover a different direction along the way? Pivot.
The people who build meaningful lives aren’t always the ones who got it right the first time. Often they’re the ones who were willing to adapt, take chances, and keep choosing the next right thing.
To the Class of 2026: your future doesn’t depend on having a perfect plan. It depends on staying curious, being willing to learn, and being brave enough to take the next right step when it’s time. ❤️
