In just a few moments, you will leave this tent as Millbrook graduates. Before you do, I ask you to “listen up” one more time for a few words of advice and farewell.
Life is inevitably complex and challenging. It is unfair, disappointing, and painful.
Life is beautiful. It is filled with opportunity and wonder and people whose kindness and caring are extraordinary.
Both statements are true. To help you cope with the former and find more of the latter, I offer these suggestions. For the most part, they are reminders, as you are on your way to understanding their value.
Why me? I really don’t have a clue. Standing here before you, it’s all that I can think about. Why am I the one speaking for this class? I spend most of my time hanging out with juniors. In fact I’m thinking about coming back next year to give their speech. Some have observed that I am disliked by the fewest number of people in my class, which is very flattering, but I still don’t think that qualifies me to give this speech.
The last time I stood on this platform was a little more than 50 years ago. On that June morning – against all the odds of all the bookies in Las Vegas – I received my Millbrook diploma.
A half-century is a long time ago. Of course, this means that I am now at the end of my life. You, on the other hand, are at the beginning of yours. I’m not sure which one of us has the better deal. All my failures, disappointments, embarrassments, betrayals, anxieties are pretty much behind me whereas yours lie before you. But some good things are waiting out there too.
I’m sure Mr. Casertano would like me to talk this evening about diplomacy, foreign policy, national security and all that stuff. But I spent four years at Millbrook disappointing the headmaster and I see no reason why I should break that pattern now.
So what I intend to do in these next few minutes is to pass on some tips about life. By way of introduction, however, I should first say that I don’t think my children like me. They pretend to like me, but deep down they are at best ambivalent. My grandchildren aren’t old enough to dislike me, but I’m sure that will come with time.
And the reason for this is because of what are called “Raymond’s Rules”. I have rules for everything. There are, for example, “Raymond’s Rules of Laundry.” There are “Raymond’s Rules of Table Manners” and “Raymond’s Rules of Cookery”. The most significant and valuable list, however, is “Raymond’s Rules of Life”, and I’m going to impart some of these to you. You should be getting excited right now.