Osler's Razor

This is the text of the commencement address I gave at St. Paul's last Friday. When reading it, keep in mind that much of my audience was composed of people between the ages of three and twelve... and at the end they got to do some real yelling!

This is a great day. Sixth graders, everyone is here to celebrate you, to love on you. Not all moments are equal, and this is one of the great ones.

I’m really proud you gave me this chance to be the speaker, and I talked to a lot of people about what to say. Some adults thought it was odd to have a graduation ceremony from 6th grade, but they didn’t go to St. Paul’s. They didn’t know what a small, intense, wonderful community this is, and what it means to be at the end of your journey here.

Growing up is a funny thing. At each step, the world gets a little bigger. At first, it was just you, a tiny newborn baby, and your mom, your mom holding you in her arm, this tiny little beautiful thing. Even the dads could just watch. But then your world got a little bigger, to include your dad and your brothers and sisters, maybe, grandparents. For a few years, at least, that little circle was your whole world.

Then, they brought you to school, to this school, and the world got bigger again. It seemed huge to you at the time, I’m sure. And then for the next several years, this was the circle, this loving and wonderful school.

What is important about today, about right now, it that now the circle will grow even larger for you in the next few months. We will send you on to a different place next year, and you will meet new people and learn new things and see new places. That matters. That’s important. We love you, and we think you are ready for that bigger world. You are going to do great.

That will keep happening the rest of your life, too—your world will keep getting bigger and bigger if you let it. When that happens, too, you will do great things. Part of a life well lived will be that while you treasure what you have, your world will grow ever larger, more and more full of knowledge and people and love.

When you do that, I hope you will carry a little bit of St. Paul’s with you, and the love of these parents and teachers. Maybe you didn’t notice this, but the adults here watched you very carefully as you grew. They saw everything. Sometimes it was happy, sometimes it was sad, or silly—a whole table full of first graders acting like cats. [Meow!] Here’s a secret, too—sometimes we adults envy your world here, a safe place where people love you without reservation. We are more like you than you might think, even though we live in that bigger world. If you don’t believe me, let me tell you a story, a story about that courtyard just outside those big wooden doors.

Last October, a few weeks before Halloween, I was walking in near a mother and daughter who I think are here today, a first grader or kindergartner. Here is what I heard:

Mom: Are you sure you don’t want to be a princess?
Girl: I want to be Spiderman!
Mom: Spiderman doesn’t get to use a wand…
Girl: I… want… to… be… Spiderman.
Mom: Well, let’s just look at the princess costumes.

Someone there wants to be a princess for a day, and it wasn’t the girl. That Mom is like me—she is part kid. We all are. That is one reason we are so excited for you right now. We know what it is like to have the world grow a little larger, and these mothers and fathers and aunts and uncles and grandparents and friends will be walking with you, hand-in-hand, as you take that step into a bigger world.

All right, everybody, I’m a lawyer, so I’m going to swear you all in now.

Mothers, fathers, grandparents, aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters, anyone who loves one of these children whether they are graduating or not-- if you can I want you to stand up to be sworn in.

Please raise your right hand.

Do you solemnly swear to love these children as their worlds get bigger, as they get bigger, to love them when things are good and when things are bad? Say I do!

Ok, now the kids. All you kids, stand up. Raise your right hand. No, your other right hand. Ok- Do you solemnly swear to love one another and these adults, even when your worlds get bigger and bigger, bigger than your house, bigger than this school? Say I do!

No, really say it! Shout it! Do you solemnly swear to love one another and these adults, even when your worlds get bigger and bigger, bigger than your house, bigger than this school? Say I do!

Sixth graders say AMEN!

Sixth graders say halleluiah!

Everyone say Halleluiah!

Love on!