Bright future

Friday I was the guest speaker at a luncheon held at the Grand Lodge at the Preserve, a senior living complex in southeast Lincoln.  The residents at the Grand Lodge have made contributions that fund a scholarship program for high school students who have worked at the Grand Lodge.  I'm sure it was fun for the students being awarded scholarships to attend as honored guests, and to be served by their coworkers!

The biographical sketches of the students were impressive, and their parents were undoubtedly busting their buttons as these were read.  As we gathered for photos, I chatted with some of the students and was certainly impressed.  Anyone who mumbles about "kids these days" simply isn't interacting with enough young people to realize how wrong they really are.

My talk concerned the value of work. I reminisced about my own experience in high school and college, working as many hours as I could fit in. I was sometimes envious of students who didn't work at all, and who could simply go to class, study, and play. In reality, though, working gave me an edge: through work in high school and college, I learned important job skills, valued by own education more, graduated debt-free, found my life's calling, and my soul mate.

These students, too, have gained immensely by supplementing their classroom education with real world experience on the job.  As they graduate and move on to college, their future is bright.  And so is our country's. Congratulations to all.