Big few weeks for our family.
Nicholas graduated from Duquesne University
The following week, Natalie graduated from Oakland Catholic High School 
Graduations are one of those milestones when parents reflect, give thanks, and want to share some hard-earned wisdom. If the “wisdom” came directly from us, we’d likely be met with nodding heads and rolling eyes. I thought maybe best coming from the great sages of the past.
If I simply gave Nicholas and/or Natalie a list of quotes as advice, I’m pretty sure it would’ve gone unread. So... a social media post of quotes, disguised as a bit of inspiration for them, and for anyone else crossing a stage this season.
- “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain
- "One day, in retrospect, the years of struggle will strike you as the most beautiful." -Sigmund Freud
- “Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
- “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” - Henry David Thoreau
- “Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.” – Helen Keller
- “Your beliefs become your thoughts. Your thoughts become your words. Your words become your actions. Your actions become your habits. Your habits become your values. Your values become your destiny.” – Mahatma Gandhi
- “If A is a success in life, then A equals X + Y + Z. Work is X; Y is play; and Z is keeping your mouth shut.” – Albert Einstein
- “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On!' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” – Calvin Coolidge
Nicholas and Natalie — you make us incredibly proud. Now go establish your own mark, guided by your values, your passion, and just one or two of these quotes (if you made it this far).