A Message for 2020 Graduates & Anyone Who Needs Hope
Think about it. Have you ever been overwhelmed because you are simply wondering how you are going to solve all of the problems in your life?
And then to compound this overwhelmed feeling, we have questions about the world we live in.
When will the rioting stop?
When will events stop being canceled?
When will corrupt people stop being so violent?
When will the media expose the truth?
When will everything return back to normal?
And that’s where the following phrase comes to mind. It’s been cliché but we’ve been hearing it often: “in these uncertain times”
Uncertainty is a Gift
I understand why this phrase creates heartache in our nation. While my tears have been real and valid, I’ve learned that uncertainty is a gift. Uncertainty is the heartbeat that makes us come alive and fight for what matters. Uncertainty breaks open the power of the unknown. Uncertainty ignites our soul with a surge for justice.
Rainer said it best:
“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now written in a very foreign language. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given to you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer.”
Martin Luther King Jr. had questions.
Mother Theresa had questions.
Maya Angelou had questions.
Oprah Winfrey had questions.
Walt Disney had questions.
Steve Harvey had questions.
W.E.B Du Bois had questions.
Just because it’s hard to solve, doesn’t mean it can’t be solved - eventually, gradually.
People - everywhere - right now - are in a rush to share their answers -
But who will be brave enough to live inside of the questions?
The questions are where faith is born, dreams are realized, innovation is ignited, and hope is actualized.
Your Dreams Are Not Cancelled
You’ve graduated in 2020 and you’ve experienced a lot of loss, uncertainty, and sadness. Many of your best memories and events have been canceled. The milestone of graduating with your friends in your class has been canceled.
But I want you to know that hope is not canceled. Joy is not canceled. Your dreams are not canceled. They have only just begun. Peace is not canceled. Faith is not canceled. Creativity is not canceled. Healing is not canceled. Hope is still real. Joy is still present. Dreams are still available. Peace is still tangible. Faith is still possible. Creativity is still stirring. Healing is still attainable. And, maybe, just maybe - all of the loss and difficult moments will create a Fighter in you - a Fighter in you that will never forget how to straighten your crown and unlock your voice.
I know there are a lot of unresolved issues in your heart and in this world, and it can feel hard to keep going or keep believing in anything positive, but I want you to know that the most liberating answers in life always start out as insurmountable questions.
Become a Student to Life
So, I challenge you to be brave enough to live inside of your questions. I challenge you to be humble enough to embrace the power of not knowing. When you become a student to life itself, you never stop learning. You never stop graduating. Every day becomes your ceremony. But I do want you to know that there is a God out there who does know you, who loves you unconditionally, and desires for you to know Him. And when you don’t know all the answers, you can pray to a God who does know the answers to the cries in your heart.
You can hand God your questions. You can hand God the unresolved messy parts of your heart. God can handle all the losses, the crazy wreckage of your soul, delays. setbacks, and heartbreaking disappointments. I know - you’re going to be okay. I know - you’re not alone.
Be the Change You Wish to See
Just lift your gaze and accept the unknown. Congratulations Class of 2020 - you are a force, a storm just after sunrise –- a brilliant masterpiece - and we are so proud of you. Go do big things. Stand for justice - but do it with a heart of mercy and love. Be the change you wish to see. Celebrate everything you’ve accomplished. You’ve made it, your family and friends are so proud. Embrace the power of not knowing and keep your head held high. We believe in you and we’re on your side!
Cynthia Giles is a spoken word artist, published writer, and speaker with a heart to make a difference in her lifetime. She is passionate about inspiring people all over the world through the arts! She believes It only takes 1 voice to change a life. If you change a life, you change a community. If you change a community, you change the world. Cynthia has been on a radio program broadcasting in several countries (93.3 FM and 91.5 FM). She has spoken to nearly 1,000 high school students, opened up for an Emmy Award-winning journalist, and spoken at a Writer’s Conference with an Author’s Guild and so much more. To learn more about Cynthia or see more of her spoken word, visit her at cynthiasinspirations.com
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