To My Brother on His Graduation

Yo bro! I'm sorry I didn't get to be there on your graduation day. I didn't mean to not be there. I was supposed to have an exam. Well, surprise surprise! My prof cancelled the exam on the last minute! ARRGH! I was so frustrated! I could've gone to your graduation, if he would have announced it earlier. If there was someone to blame, it would be him. hehehe, just joking! Well, I can't do anything about it, what's done is done, so we'll have to live with that... I just have to make it up to you somehow.

Anyway, I'm not writing this to apologize for the mistake of my prof (stupid prof). I have other reasons as well. One is to congratulate you. Congratulations! You have just graduated! Wehehehe! Anyway, that's not the thing here, I want to tell you some things that are coming your way, in the hope that you would not make the same mistakes I have gone through.

Ahh, yes, another chapter of your life is through, yet another is beginning. This chapter of your life is pretty much important. I'm not gonna explain the physiological and biological changes you are going to undertake as you move on to high school, I'll leave that to your professor (who hopefully would not be as stupid as mine).

High school is the phase in your life where you truly decide on who you are, whether a gaming addict, a playboy, a genius, or a nobody. It's this phase in life where many people fail to be who they want to be, and follow instead what they want to do in the present. This is one BIG mistake. now, this is wher my first advice comes in:

(1) Never look on what you presently have, but instead look to the future.

This will keep you from hurting yourself or misleading you to some other place you shouldn't be in. It's not running away from pain or anything, that's what God really whats us to do: to face tomorrow with that confidence in Him that we will never fail because He is there.

(2) Life is never fair or easy. Don't expect it to be that way.

High school life won't be easy, it's full of challenges, trials and temptations that would try to eat your head off. But these things are not in the way to let you fail, on the contrary, these things are in your way, 'coz God thinks and knows that you are able to overcome these things. God will never give you any trial that you will not be able to triumph over. When you start thinking that life is unfair, remember what the people did to Jesus. Did Jesus ever complain of life being unfair? He was whipped, spat on and crucified. No. All he thought about was what would happen if he died for you. Was life unfair to Him?

(3) Don't let emotions get to you, and never play with anyone's feelings!

Yeah, this one is really common. High schoolers tend to get excited over new feelings, and stuff like that. Don't let your emotions rule you! You should be the one in control and not your emotions! uhhm, simply saying, you're growing really fast, now, and you have to deal with these kind of things too. I know you're attractive (of course! Who do you think you got your looks?!) and lots of girls will "fall" for you, as they say. It's not your fault. They just like the thrill of "falling". Don't play with their feelings, 'coz they might think you're serious about it. If you do, you'll end up with a broken friendship, or in the worst-case scenario, with a broken heart.

Your friends will say "follow your heart", but God says "follow me". Who will you choose to follow? The world has set it's own standards. Such disappointing and low standards. Do not level yourself down to these standards. God has set His standards for you to follow. As He has promised in Jeremiah 29:11,

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'Plans to prosper you and not to harm you; plans to give you a hope and a future.'"

And trust God to fulfill His promise. God is not a liar. If, for some reason, there are things you don't understand Him or doubt His plans for you, remind yourself that God is not a man that we can fathom His mind. If we are able to fathom the depths of His mind, the He will not be God at all!

(3) Independence?!

Ahh, yes, the world made that idea if independence. But, if you think about it, God never made us to be independent, God wanted us to be DEPENDENT to Him! so therefore, there is no such thing as an independent Christian. If you're really a Christian, that means you have given your life to be ruled over by God, that you have given Him full control. Don't be fooled by poeple who say they are independent. They are not. They just like playing pretend so that they can show off to people.

(4) Let God be your example.

Don't let the world mold you into a piece of clay pot that would only be used for gathering swadust, but instead let God mold you into a jar of clay that would hold treasuers in it. Let the fruit of the Spirit dwell in you as you grow in the knowledge of God. Don't neglect your personal time with God. Grow in love with Him, for He is able to do exceedingly and abundantly, more that whatever we can ask for or ever imagine!

Uhmm, honestly, I have sooo many things to tell you. Maybe I'll just tell you personally, later on in life. I just want you to know that I love you, and that though I'm not ther with you physically, I'm still the older brother you have that will always love you no matter what, despite the petty quarrels, the constant nuisances, and the underwear wedgies.

So bro, go take on life with a smile on your face! Never listen to what the world tells you, and when it kicks you down, look straight at it's eyes and say, "Hey I've got a God who can turn you to dust. Hands off, buster, this one's for God." Be focused only on God. Don't lose that focus. Be a blessing. Let your light shine. Fight for God!

and one last thing, if obe dream should fail and break into a thousand peices, never be afraid to pick one of those pieces up and begin again. That's the beauty of being alive - we acn always start all over again. Enjoy God's wonderful opportunities bestoed on us... Have faith in Him always.

~Kuya Reu