Hold Fast Your Dreams

Hold Fast Your Dreams

YA/adult nonfiction
"As a graduate dresses in cap and gown and is seated waiting for
the commencement ceremony to begin, excitement, exhaustion, and
anticipation all combine to create an impatience that will be
satisfied only when the diploma is safely in hand.
Later, after the ceremonies are over, someone asks the
graduate's opinion of the profoundness of the commencement speech. At
that moment, the graduate faces the realization of having missed the
whole address. Hold Fast Your Dreams is a chance for the recent--and
not so recent--graduate to relive that special day."
The above observation, taken from Carry Boyko and Kimberly
Colen's Hold Fast Your Dreams, nicely illustrates the absurdity of
this part of the commencement ceremony. Some fairly decent human
being labors to create a hopefully concise piece that will honor and
inspire, only to have it fall mostly on deaf ears. Why do we do this
to the speaker and the audience? Is it because we've always done
things that way? Is it a little pomp for tuition paying parents? Is
it a chance for institutional oneuppersonship on the part of the
institution that capture the most prestigious celebrity?
These days even speaker choice isn't always safe. Select
someone too conservative/liberal/ethnic...and you may have half the
campus up in arms. If the protests get big enough the national media
may descend, creating the kind of publicity that doesn't warm the
hearts of college presidents, provosts, and deans.
Just saying.
The compilation of 20 commencement speeches in Hold Fast Your
Dreams, however, makes for fascinating reading. The speakers come
from an amazing variety of backgrounds and perspectives. You'll hear
from the first eminent black male tennis player (Arthur Ashe), the
creator of an internationally syndicated comic strip (Cathy
Guisewite), the man who explored and showed us the Titanic (Robert
Ballard), former president Jimmy Carter, Ben Cohen of Ben & Jerry's
ice cream fame, and other achievers including Dr. Seuss who gave us
Green Eggs And Ham.
They all address the same profound, yet intensely personal
prompt: what do graduates entering the real world most need to know?
Some have moments of real eloquence. Ben Cohen tells us:
"With the money the U.S. spends on weapons we could feed and
care for every one of those 30,000 children around the world who are
dying every day of preventable disease. And we can eliminate the
poverty that afflicts one of four American children as well. There
will never be peace, there will never be security in our country or in
our world, as long as we use the tool of capitalism to take
necessities from the many to give luxuries to the few."
Marion Wright Edelman, founder of Children's Defense Fund, warns
us not to get character mixed up with the wealth and fame too often
worshipped or to do corrupt things even if it seems like everyone else
does.
"...Be honest and demand that those who represent you be
honest. Do not confuse morality with legality. Dr. King once noted
that everything Hitler did in Nazi Germany was legal. Do not give
anyone the proxy for your conscience."
As for Dr. Seuss...
...you'll have to read the book to see what he has to say.
When you put the book down I challenge you to try to put in
writing your answer to the question. What advice would you give? It
will be a precious creation even if no one but you sees it. It will
give you insight into your hopes and fears, your most precious values,
and ultimately your soul. How can you use these insights to change
your life and world for the better?
On a personal note, it's graduation day at UMaine. We have someone
who is graduating. Adam's fiancée, Asia, has earned her degree. We
are all very proud of her.
A great big shout goes out to Asia and her fellow grads, especially
those who have had to work jobs as well as attend classes and do
homework. Well done! Best wishes for your future!
jules hathaway


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