Dear Class of 2020,
Congratulations!
You are the first class to enter the new world.
COVID 19 has certainly made 2020 the most unusual year to graduate in our lifetime. And whether you know it or not, you have been given the amazing, unprecedented opportunity to change the world.
As life has come to a standstill, as healthcare workers battle exhaustion and lack of supplies to take care of those who are sick and dying, as unemployment in the US skyrockets, you, class of 2020, have been given a gift that no other class in the world has ever had.
You have been given the gift of hindsight.
Hindsight, in this case, is literally 2020.
The hard stop that has engulfed the world has provided humanity with the rare opportunity to look back and learn from its mistakes. It is a reset from the hustle that has plagued our lives, a reset from the unconscious ways with which will fill our days, our bodies and minds, a reset from the pollution we create in this world, and a reset from the harmful ways we treat one another. It is a chance for the world to start spinning again with mindfulness, purpose, compassion, and love.
And it begins with you.
Class of 2020, know that while you are missing out on the traditional end of a senior year in high school, you are participating in the most purposeful end to a senior year we have ever seen. Life is a journey and the road is winding. The milestones, celebrations, and recognition you may not get in this moment will find their way to you. You have not been lost amidst COVID 19.
You have become the most pivotal graduating class in history.
So my message to you, Class of 2020, is simple.
- Learn from our mistakes.
- Learn from your mistakes.
- Begin your journey with gratitude and mindfulness.
- Know that we are all connected.
- Embrace the present moment.
- Lead a life of integrity, purpose and compassion.
- Use technology and innovation for good.
- Remember that love is a verb.
- Laugh every chance you get.
- Appreciate the gift of being with those you love.
- Find joy in the small moments.
- Love fully, deeply, and with wild abandon.