Praize Blogs

As I write this I am aware that around the country thousands of young adults are nervously making there way to schools , centres, computer screens and gatherings to collect their results from the state exam which they sat in June. As they read how they have done they will be frantically totting up the points and just like any game show points mean prizes!! The prize in this case will be places on university courses places on work schemes places on the next step to their goals. For some today will be a day of heart break and anguish for some it will be the elation of attaining the mark. For some the burden of perceived failure will be almost too much to bare. And of course some wont even care a jot. This fear fest is actually an annual occurence here in Ireland and is a product of our test based exam system . Quite often crammers and memory experts turn in the best papers thinkers and dreamers struggle. It has created the monster of young exam students memorising their creative imagination piece that will be committed to paper on exam day ---and so died spontaneity ! Well to all those magnificent young adults who stand at this door today I just want to say this. Today does not define you. Yes i hope you are justly rewarded for every hard hour of honest endevour you invested in your studies. I hope your diligence and determination are reflected in your results I hope that when you open your envelope your heart leaps for what you have achieved and doesnt drop for what you may have missed. I am blessed to have a son amongst this band of wonderers. As he wonders now how he did I just want to say to him that I am privileged that you have been brave enough to introduce me to your incredible group of friends. I have been witness to their humanity , their kindness, their sense of community and brotherhood, their sense of fairness, their understanding of love and friendship , their endless creative talent whether that be musically artistically or creative arts. I have seen them bare one anothers burdens , seen them hurt together rejoice together mourn together. I have seen them laugh together and weep together I have seen fellow citizens that no state exam could define. I have seen people real people extraordinary people magnificent people. So class of 2012 today is just a day when you get to fifty like me it will seem like a very tiny day so dont let this day control you in any way. You are bigger better and more precious than any exam could ever discover. God loved you before you were born and that wasnt based on points! Celebrate wildly but carefully compare gently and kindly keep an eye out for mates that may be struggling and together look forward to the brilliance that is ahead for all of you . And if you need to talk you know what we (your ol man or Ol lady your mas and your das your mentors and guardians) arent such a bad lot. Finally to Timothy Joel Carley you already have passed the exam of all exams. This past year has been hard to walk through never mind be focused. I have travelled the world to hear motivational speakers and positive thinking gurus but not one of them is a patch on you. MY one wish today Timbo is that if I ever grow up that I will be half the man that you are. Good luck today I love you loads.