A Great Way to Start

What a great way to start a vacation. Before we left for Florida I had been booked to do a short talk to graduating students from Humber College. I do this for free because I enjoy the opportunity to speak to students who are just starting out in their career. They all looked so young and eager.

I remember young and eager.

I've given up on young but I still aspire to eager.

I sat in front of the computer on Sunday putting together a few stories to tell them, some advice to give them, "a little rah rah and a little ah ha". They vary from year to year, last years crop was quiet as I spoke, this year they were up and ready to laugh. It was fun.

Part of me realized that this is the first generation of students who will be working entirely in the community. There are no more institutions, no more locked wards ... these kids have inherited the community in the same way the people they will work with have finally acheived community. They will have a different walk in service than I did. I was walking from the institution, they will have the ultimate privilege of walking to inclusion. They will tell different stories than I have told. They will go to different places.

Several of the students came up and shook my hand. They said they were honoured to meet me ... trust me, the honour was all mine.