A lot of other folk will tell you that the sky is falling.
I will not say that to you. I will not tell you that the sky is falling.
I will say that those are pennies from heaven.
You know why I say that? Because I've seen this movie before and I know how it turns out.
There was somebody else who's not here today who helped you get to where you are.
I don't know whether that person was a high school teacher,
a councillor, maybe it was someone who just worked at the school
who saw in you something that maybe at some point
you didn't see in yourself. And I want to ask you today
to reach out to that person. Don't call them,
go see them. Don't e-mail them.
And whatever you do, do not Twitter, tweets, or whatever that stuff is. Don't do it.
Go see them. Shake their hands, hug them, laugh with them, cry with them and say thank you.
And to all the folks who said you couldn't do it, to all the folks who said you wouldn't make it,
you are perfectly justified to say "how ya like me now?"
I asked myself when I was trying to compose my thoughts,
what would I want to hear from someone today?
Would I want to hear more about the state of the economy,
Wallstreet bailouts, or the job market?
No. I would like to
hear from someone that, you know what, amidst all this chaos and turbulence,
there's an opportunity to create a new vision of the American dream.
That's what I would like to hear from somebody today.
A new vision of the American dream as great as any of the visions and dreams of our forefathers,
founding fathers and ancestors. A new vision of the American dream that says
achieving balance in your life is more important than the balance in your checking account.
A new vision of the American dream where appreciation is greater than expectation.
A new vision that says, "for too long
a lot of us have been living in exile in a place called things.
And it's time for us to come home to friends, families and folks."
I submit to you today, that this new vision of the American dream
means that what you do, does not define
who you are. A new vision that says
"do not confuse your net worth with your self-worth."
A new vision that says, "hey,
stuff, toys and things exist but they are not necessary
for you to be happy." This vision I submit,
firmly rooted in the past, appreciative of today, but clearly focused
on the future that we can choose to create. And my last words to you today will be this,
a lot of other folk will tell you that the sky is falling.
I will not say that to you. I will not tell you that the sky is falling.
I will say that those are pennies from heaven.
You know why I say that? Because I've seen this movie before and I know how it turns out.