Here I am going to write a piece about my two sons´ graduation day, and whether you like what I write or not doesn’t really concern me. All you have to do is stop reading now.

I was at the graduation of my two sons today in college, as well as many other people, and as I painfully sat there for two hours watching people clapping each other on the back, a few things crossed my mind.

The first thing was that I was proud, as a father, of their achievements – and rightly so.  Then I started to think “should I be proud yet?”  What would I want my sons to turn out like?  Is this a proud moment?  The answers kept coming to my head, and with a stupid brain like mine that never rests I started to think about what I would like for this generation, i.e. all their friends that graduated with them, and not just my sons.

I was sitting next to their grandmother and I started to calculate her life in years.  Let’s just say that she is over 80 and she was around during the Second World War.  Then I started to think about her parents and her grandparents.  What I’m getting at here is that I’m 43 years old now, and despite the fact that I somehow got through one recession by the skin of my teeth, I never had to deal with a war or a famine, like all those who went before me, and with a little bit of diplomacy – and luck – I won’t have to either.  If I get away with that I will be the first generation from Europe that will have that privileged life existence during my short stay on this planet.

I am probably trying to write a message here for all those who graduated today, and may be making a bad job of it.  The bottom line is that I was looking at young people celebrating their achievements so far in life, as they should, but they should never forget, whether it be war or recession, that sometimes people have to take a stand in life and, based on past experience, there is a good chance they might just get that unfortunate opportunity.  It’s important that they always remember that it’s not the problem that´s the problem, and that it´s only how they deal with it will make them a success or a failure, because there will always be problems.

The speeches after the confirings by the head of the college were completely f*cking ridiculou.  The President of the University spent time telling us how great his college and staff were and that they should get this and that from the State.  He achieved two things in one speech: 1) how great they all were and how great he was, and 2) that they should get recognition from the State.  What the stupid b*stard missed was the opportunity to talk for the benefit of the students sat before him and to tell them something that might benefit them as they head out into the world.

All I have to say to those students today are two things:

1) The harder I worked in life, the luckier I got; and

2) …. is an other short story, and here it is.

I met two people in the last two weeks in their mid-20s who had problems and confided in me.  The first told me that they had problems in life because their father was an abusive alcoholic, and the second told me that they had problems in their life because they were an only child and they were spoiled and found it difficult to get on with people.  I had the same thing to say to both of them, despite their opposite backgrounds – I told both to stop blaming others, accept responsiblity for their own actions and beliefs from today, and move forward in that fashion.  After your responsibility as an adult to your own family, you have a responsibility to do the best you can for the rest of the human race, and also a serious responsibility to have fun along the road for yourself – but be clear about your priorities.

Any of you that are parents know that children never listen, which is why I’m writing this, and maybe someday they will read what I’ve learned, even if they won’t listen, and maybe long after I have gone.  Who knows.  I am much more interested in how my children turn out as human beings than any certificate they might receive from a clown.  I saw parents nearly killing each other at the confiring to get photos and understood that these parents, just like the president, were also clapping themselves on the back and couldn’t wait to show their friends how well they reared their kids.

Please don’t get me wrong here, because I was also very proud of the lads and we did take photos that will be a memory for me, but I also know what they do with their lives and qualifications and how they look after themselves, their families, and the wider community is much more important than today´s ceremony.

A short joke…

Today, as far as I’m concerned, is going to prove to be the second most important day in my lifetime, as regards world equality. The first was the collapse of the Berlin wall, and another was when we welcomed 10 Eastern European countries into the EU.

If this man Obama can deliver 10% of what he says this world will be a thousand times a better place to live.  I have a funny feeling that he will deliver a lot more than 10%, and not so much that he will deliver, but he will make all of us deliver, not by threat… but by hope. His policies and ideals are fantastic, but the most important thing that he has going for him and all of us humans is that he has a brilliant way of bringing everyone together and keeping them together
for the common good.

He is inheriting two serious wars and a nearly bankrupt economy. You could say that the only way is “up” for him, but I believe that the misguided gentleman they call Mr Bush singlehandedly f*cked up the whole world in 8 years, and I also believe that Obama will put this right in the next eight years, starting from today, even though he doesn’t take office until january.  He simply understands the need for belief in the human race above all else and will make the world understand that any other way, regardless of legislation, wars, bullying, just won’t work.  He will bring the best out in people and believes in fairness and equality, unless he’s a total bluffer, which I doubt.

I think that his biggest monumental challenge will come in January when he will have to find a way to thank Mr Bush for his time and effort as president without beating him around the head with a blackthorn stick collected from some ditch in the back and beyonds of Ireland, on the way home from a few pints of Guinness, in the dark of night, with the rain pissing down on him singing “A Nation Once Again” in three different keys!!!

It won’t be easy for the world economy, but today is the slow start from the bottom for sure upwards and onwards. And good luck to you, Obama.