This week we’re saying good-bye to 143 seniors who are graduating from Sweet Home High School.
For some, this really will be a good-bye. They will be heading off to college, or to the military. For others, it just means that they’ll be going to work every day instead of school.
Regardless, this is an important milestone in life. It may not seem particularly so if you are a burned-out senior, but graduation often means the beginning of the separation from family and, often, friends as you go off to seek your own fortune.
May we offer this suggestion to those who are departing: Don’t forget your roots.
If you’re eager to escape “Sweet Hole,” as some of you call it, we understand. The urge to bust out on your own is something we’ve felt too. Sweet Home, in many ways, is a great place to live, but it has its limits. We know that some of you high school seniors want to get past those limits and taste life on the outside.
But whether you go to a bigger city, a college or university campus, a military base on the other side of the world, don’t forget the values you’ve learned here.
To ensure we’re all on the same page on this, we’re listing a few we think are the most important:
– Respect others. In a small town, it’s not a good idea to just say anything you want about someone and blithely go your way. You do something like that, word gets around and things can get unpleasant. That may not be the case in the big city. There’s a lot more anonymity and a lot less respect for other people. And it’s not good.
You hear about road rage, people dissing one another and other forms of unneighborliness. In the end it all comes down to the fact that people have lost their sense of respect for one another and with it, common decency. Don’t lose yours.
That leads us to point number two:
— Respect yourself. Remember who you are and where you’re from. Remember that you come from a place where you are expected to display some modicum of decency toward others and respect for those in authority – even if it is rural Oregon where the “don’t tread on me” spirit runs strong.
It’s an unfortunate reality that people who have little respect for others have even less for themselves. They may have an inflated view of their own prowess or character, but that is just a warped veneer to cover their lack of self-worth. Treat others the way you think they should treat you and you’ll find that what goes around will come around. You’ll be happier too.
— Look out for others. You’ve lived in this community, where many people take care of each other. It’s one of the benefits of living in a small town, where there is little anonymity. When someone falls on hard times here, people generally step up to help.
When a family’s Christmas tree burned their trailer last winter, they ended up with more presents than they started with – few or no questions asked. When something needs to be done here, people generally step up.
We know not all of you were excited to be out in the hot sun, picking up garbage and clearing brush on Pride Day, but most of you did it. Helping others isn’t always fun, but it usually turns out to be rewarding. If you have any doubts about how far a little volunteer spirit can take things, think “Oregon Jamboree.” A willingness to help others and to volunteer for often thankless tasks are qualities that you may not see as much of in the big world out there. You may see a lot of “Not in my back yard” and “What’s in it for me?” but stay true to your roots and you will be a blessing to others and you will be doing the right thing.
— Grit. Life gets tough out there. Don’t quit when things get difficult. Some of the students graduating this week are setting a new standard in their families simply by collecting a diploma. Those of you who have grown up without encouragement in education from family members have already shown grit just by being at Husky Stadium on Friday night.
We hope you take it to the next level, college. It is a key to a better life than you’ve probably experienced, but it’s not easy. (That’s why employers want to see that college degree on your resume before they offer you big-money jobs.)
So when homesickness, or spring fever, or money troubles, or academic troubles or any other manner of personal difficulties come upon you, hang in there and persevere. When you return, we want to see you a lot farther along than you left.
— Remember God. This may seem a little strange in a newspaper editorial, but we are including it for that very reason. You’ve probably learned more about God in Sweet Home than you would in many other places. Count yourself blessed because God is still a much bigger part of the picture – and your future – than many folks these days want to acknowledge.
(Remember what happened after the Sept. 11 tragedy? When things got tough, people suddenly started thinking about God and His role in the affairs of this world. Prayer was suddenly important. It’s sad, how quickly they forgot once things got back to some semblance of normality.) Don’t forget to remember God.
— Great scenery. You’re leaving, off to seek your fortune. Leaving is often good. Many here seem reluctant to leave because Sweet Home is so comfortable for them.
That’s understandable, but it’s good to be stretched. Leaving will give you new perspectives, allow you to taste life as it’s lived in places that are very unlike Sweet Home, and teach you things you’ll never learn here. Communities without some inflow and outflow of population become very ingrown.
Go out, get an education, get a job and taste life on the outside. Get married. Then come back. Because you can help make a difference here.
Before you leave, though, take a drive up to Green Peter Lake or up to the Santiam Pass. It’s hard to think of a more beautiful place to come back to.