It’s Happy Graduation Day for millions of students.  Either today, or one soon to come, the air will be filled with tossed caps and mortars, tassels flapping in the winds of happiness.  Parents, grand parents and siblings will all be there to celebrate.

Yet, after that momentous day, the culmination of years of hard studying, essay writing and proving one’s worth, there is another day to come.  That day is the startling realization that finding a job and a livelihood has come.

The stark reality of the world’s economic fragility, teetering on recession, coupled with a high unemployment rate worldwide must be painfully sobering for all graduates.  A couple of days ago in the U.S., there were announcements of potential cutbacks of teacher positions.  Didn’t we hear a few years back that teaching and nursing careers would always be needed?  Now, school budgets are shrinking and hospitals are downsizing and closing.

Another truth is that with our excellent educational system and population explosion, there are more and more graduates of high school and college these days.  That’s a good thing; we need more educated people in our world.  It’s harder and harder, though, to achieve what once was the dream: wealth and material ownership.

We all need to help one another, teach each other, and encourage our fellow students.  We need to help our young people with jobs.  We need to continue the celebrations but make it a lasting future for our graduates.  Our culture must change from a consumerist, over inflated economic society into a service culture.  We need to help one another instead of “having it all.”

This year’s graduation days are new, unlike ever before.  We are sending our graduates into unknown territory.  When that keynote speaker or valedictorian makes the point that we need to make it a better world — we must listen and take action this time.

God-speed graduates.  Don’t give up.  We WILL make it a better day and a bright future for one and all — together.