2015-02-18Staff Report 2 "There are people who are excited about growing up because it means they will be independent, there are those who are terrified about it because they are afraid they are not ready or capable to have responsibilities, and then there are those who do not care. The last group are those who simply do not care and just exist, not moving back or forth. I am sure that you guys are not part of the last group. If you are excited about growing up, that is great! If you are terrified, that is good too. Because it means that you acknowledge that something better is expected from you ( and that is a good start). Growing up can be challenging, let us acknowledge that. You are often expected to do things on your own and sometimes you just have no idea where to begin or who to ask. But that should not stop us from aiming to be the best. As scary or as simple as it sounds, you have a choice to make about how you want to live your life. Are you going to search for wisdom and guidance to achieve your level best? Are you going to do things halfway and be a quitter most of the time? Are you going to enhance your knowledge and be a well informed citizen with constructive ideas? Are you going to work hard and provide for your family? These are some of the few questions I would pose to you today. As you are growing up, you should aim to get better in what you do or who you are. There is a saying that goes ""Get better with age, like fine wine"". I do not know much about wine but apparently according to wine lovers, the older it is the better it tastes. How about we all do it like ""wine""? No for anyone else but ourselves. So we can be at peace and fulfilled with who we are. To get better with age, do not stop educating yourself. When I speak of education I do not mean attending formal classes Monday to Friday till you are 70 years old. Education is simply a process of acquiring new knowledge, through whatever way. So read a book, engage with other people and share knowledge, surf the internet. My point is, do not let your intellectual level go down with age. After all, our skins get wrinkles at some point even if we were flawless in our youth. So you are pretty much left with your mind to put to use. You children and grandchildren should view you as the smartest person ever because you are able to give solid and good guidance. Learn more about yourself and what you really are passionate about. Embrace what is good about you and harness it. Be curious and eager to know more. There is no full stop to being the best you can be. So keep going. " 2015-02-18Staff Report 2
