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SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, JUNE 3, 2017
My commencement speech (should I ever give one)
Ned
Hickson
To the Class of 2017, fac-
ulty members, parents, digni-
taries, mis-informed wedding
crashers, and Visa or
MasterCard representatives
who have gathered here
today:
I am honored to have the
opportunity to address this
group of graduating seniors
and impart the wisdom I have
gained since my own gradua-
tion from high school nearly
150 years ago.
Standing before you today,
I see the anticipation on your
faces as each of you comes to
realize what sharing my wis-
dom with you means:
Possibly the shortest com-
mencement speech in school
history.
Before long, you will step
forward and receive the cul-
mination of 12 — possibly 14
— years of education. You
will shake hands with some
of those who have helped
guide you to this milestone.
And unless your last name
begins with a “Z,” you will
return to your seat as the rest
your classmates step forward
to receive their diplomas.
That’s when you will
silently think to yourself, “I
really shouldn’t have had that
second bottle of Mountain
Dew.”
But you will sit quietly,
probably cross-legged, and
deal with it. You are now offi-
cially your own person —
making your own decisions,
embracing the rewards and
accepting the consequences
of those decisions — as you
embark on a journey of inde-
pendence in a world of your
own making.
At least until laundry day,
when you will return home to
eat chocolate chip cookies
while mom gets the Cheeto
and pizza stains out of your
favorite underwear.
That’s because having wis-
dom isn’t about knowing
everything. It’s also about
recognizing and acknowledg-
ing when you don’t.
Just like getting those
stains out, it’s OK to admit
when you don’t know how to
do something or handle a
tough situation in life.
A smart person takes
ownership of the things they
know; I wise person seeks the
knowledge of others when
they don’t.
When I graduated from
high school in 1984, there
was no Internet.
No Siri.
No Pinterest.
And thankfully, no Kanye
West.
Therefore, the Class of
1984 was expected to know
EVERYTHING. The pressure
was tremendous! We hugged
our parents goodbye and
entered a dark, Google-less
world. We were young pilots
flying blind. Dead stick.
Rudderless. Broken-winged.
And lots of other
euphemisms I am now able
to Google for occasions like
this.
We had no choice but to
rely on each other. We
pooled our knowledge.
Challenged each other.
Together, we advanced
ourselves and society by hav-
ing the courage to answer
fundamental questions like:
What would happen if we
grew chia seeds on a clay pot
shaped like ‘Mr. T?’
Truth be told, it’s human
nature to want to know all the
answers. At the same time,
culture discourages us from
admitting when we don’t
have them. You’ve now spent
the better part of your first 17
to 20 years of life receiving
an education — not so you’ll
have all the answers, but have
the courage and wisdom to
ask the kinds of questions
that will improve your life
and, hopefully, the lives of
others.
This will take more than
Googling.
More than Wikipedia.
Possibly even more than
“how-to” videos on YouTube.
It’s certainly going to take
a great data and texting plan.
However, most of all it’s
going to take the kind of
determination that got you
here; sitting in these chairs;
moments away from receiv-
ing your diploma; and still
regretting that second bottle
of Mountain Dew.
Yet, I look upon your faces
and see my own hope reflect-
ed in them. When you leave
here, be courageous and wise.
Never be afraid to admit
you don’t have all the
answers. Those who do are
destined to a life of empty
promises. Usually some-
where in our nation’s Capitol.
Always remember the feel-
ing you have right now. The
anticipation. The hope. The
unlimited possibilities.
It’s who you are at this
moment.
It’s who you will always
be.
As long as you allow your-
self to be wise...
Ned is a syndicated columnist
with News Media Corporation.
Write to him at needhickson@
icloud.com
Acupuncture workshop for ‘Aging Well’ at LCC
Join local acupuncturist,
Patricia Immel, MAOM, LAc.,
to learn what this fascinating,
effective and safe medicine can
do for you.
She will be presenting at
Lane Community College in
Florence on June 13, from 11
a.m. to noon, as part of
PeaceHealth Peace Harbor
Medical Center’s Aging Well
series.
“You have an innate capacity
to heal. Stress, injury, trauma,
and illness can strain that
capacity. Acupuncture works to
strengthen you by stimulating
vitality and circulation, calm-
ing and balancing your nervous
system, and supporting healthy
immune function,” said Immel.
Acupuncture is gaining pop-
ularity as many people are now
using this traditional practice to
help them recover from injury,
illness, stress-related condi-
tions and improve their quality
of health and life.
Many elite medical centers
such as the Mayo Clinic, Duke
University Medical Center, and
the University of California-
San Francisco now offer
acupuncture.
In 2015, the renowned Mt.
Sinai Beth Israel in New York
staffed 28 acupuncturists who
performed more than 10,000
inpatient treatments.
Additionally, the World
Health Organization is an inter-
national proponent of acupunc-
ture for a wide range of health
concerns and diseases includ-
ing chronic pain, depression
and post-traumatic stress disor-
der (PTSD).
The United States armed
forces utilize acupuncture to
help military personnel and
their families recover from
war-related conditions.
Medics are trained to admin-
ister simple treatments in the
field to help ease pain, anxiety,
insomnia, depression and
PTSD.
T h e Ve t e r a n ’ s
Administration
recognizes
acupuncture as an effective
treatment and a way to
decrease the need for medica-
tions for many veterans.
At Wellspring Clinic, Immel
offers a variety of acupuncture
treatment options including pri-
vate, personalized treatment
sessions and Points of Grace
community acupuncture.
Together with Dr. Mark
Immel, naturopathic physician,
they are dedicated to inspiring
and supporting people in their
quest for a healthier, happier
life utilizing natural medicine,
wisdom and compassion.
Wellspring Clinic is located
at 1845 Highway 126, Suite H
in Florence and can also be
contacted at 541-902-8860.
It’s Garage SaleTime!!!!
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