Graduation, June 12, 2004

My fellow graduates, faculty, family, friends and distinguished guests,

 

It is indeed an honor to come before you this morning.  I must confess my greatest challenge during my Nyack experience came just this week when our Director, Patricia Johnson, said, “Now Donna, you only have 5 minutes to speak.”

 

“Five minutes?!?” I complained to the Assistant Director Sherrie Lawson, “what can I say in only 5 minutes?”

 My fellow cohort members can attest that verbosity is my long suit. My children will tell you that, “Mom specializes in speeches.” Even my parents remember that on the very first day of my educational journey, yes, that very first day of first grade, the teacher made me put my nose against the blackboard because I simply could not be quiet! What could I say in only 5 minutes?

“A lot has been said in less than 5 minutes, Donna.”

 Over the last few days Sherrie’s response to my complaint has echoed in my head and in my heart as I thought back through my own life.

 

 

1.      47 years ago to this very day it took a second shift nurse less than 5 minutes to march down the sterile hospital hall to the waiting room and declare to my anxious daddy, “It’s a girl!”

2.      Less than a year later it took less than 5 minutes for the hospital to break the news to my momma that my sister had passed away.

3.      In just 5 minutes a day my parents impressed upon me that I was smart enough to rule the world.

4.      Yet, it took less than 5 minutes for a six-grade teacher on my first day in middle school to declare that her goal that year was to, “Cut me down to size.”

5.      In less than 5 minutes my husband asked me to marry him.

6.      It took less than 5 minutes for my brother to tell me he had cancer.

7.      In 5 minutes the Nyack Admissions counselor said, “Congratulations! You’ve been accepted.”

8.      Less than 5 minutes for my children to say, “We’re so proud of you!”

9.      For 5 early morning minutes each day my husband and I connect with the Living God for a brief prayer as we release the day, our children, our parents and our responsibilities over to His will.

10.  A five-minute phone call from my daughter, Crystal, is all it took to cheer me up and fortify me to write that next paper.

11.  A five-minute after school conversation with my son, Michael, when he told me that his friends think I am the smartest person they know, is all it took to keep me studying for the next class.

12.  Those 5 minutes invitations to lunch from my son, Andrew, reminded me that my actions affect more than just me.

13.  At the end of my day, I reach over to the glass heart jar that my daughter, Leah, has filled with slips of paper that have kind expressions of her love for me written on them. It takes less than 5 minutes to be reminded that I am blessed to have her.

14.  A five-minute phone call from my mother-in-law offering gracious words and a helping heart taught me that I am not alone.

15.  It took less than 5 minutes to walk to the mail box only to find another encouraging card from my mother, with her words, “I’m so proud of you!” and “You can do it!”

16.  A less-than-5-minute elevator ride after class with Professor Hairston was all it took for him to encourage me that I was worth the investment of graduate school.

17.  In about 5 minutes a day- every day- for the last six years, my husband Sean has told me that he loved me, that I was worth investing the money for college in and that God had great plans for my life.

 

Sherrie’s right. A lot has been said in less than 5 minutes. Welcome words and wounding words. Words that heal and words that hurt. Our lives really are lived just 5 minutes at a time, aren’t they? 

 

 “Aren’t you the prettiest thing?”

 “ You’re so stupid!”

“You can do it!”

 “You’ll never make it.”

 

And I would leave us with this question, Class of 2004: what will we choose to say in each of our 5 minutes? Will we choose to speak blessings or curses? Truth or lies? Words  that build or words that break down? Sherrie’s right. A lot has been said in less than 5 minutes. A lot can be said in 5 minutes. We may be few in a sea of billions, but our words – our actions – are our own to choose.

 

I would like to close with these words from poet Bonaro Overstreet who said,

 

You say the little efforts that I make

will do no good: they never will prevail

to tip the hovering scale

where Justice hangs in balance.

I don’t think

I ever thought they would.

But I am prejudiced beyond debate

in favor of my right to choose which side

shall feel the stubborn ounces of my weight.

 

Thank You.

4:36:48 PM  #

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