After thousands of high school seniors receive their graduation diploma this spring, many will get ready for the next phase of their lives; it may be college, the military, travel or just showing up to the job they already have.

Also, by the time some dust settles on their diploma, they will have heard dozens of words of advice on how to live their life after high school — have fun, work hard, learning never stops, be kind, don't forget where you came from, etc., etc.

Now, I will give you, graduate, one more, one you may have heard but I feel it is important — expect the unexpected.

Now, I don't mean to be negative or scare you with those words of advice, I just know that it is true. No matter how much you plan, no matter how much money you earn, no matter who you know — life has a way of spinning you around, 90 degrees, 180 or to some greater degree.

Planning your future years does help you prepare for those spins but it is how you adjust to those changes that is what is important if you want to stay on the track you have set for yourself.

Principal Dan Welch, in his speech to the BRHS seniors at the Alumni Banquet on Sunday, kind of touched on my theme by quoting from Jim Valvano's famouse ESPY Awards speech: "Don't give up, don't ever give up."

When life does hand you lemons — and you will get some, believe me — don't sour and give up. Use them however you can to best sweeten your situation. Don't turn to drugs, alcohol or violence, like many people seem to do these days.

In closing, congratulations on your graduation and I hope you are ready to take on life and what it will hand you.