Editor’s note: This is an abridged version of one of the commencement talks given by University of Maine at Farmington graduates on Saturday.

Welcome UMF administrators, faculty, staff, distinguished guests, family, friends, and members of the Senior Class of 2008! I’d like to thank everyone for the opportunity to speak today.

So here we are on the cusp of that point – the rest of our lives. For some of us that is a rather ominous statement, and for others it is simply a sigh of relief. So what will we do with the rest of our lives? All of that time stretched before us like a book waiting to be opened. If we already have plans for the future, I have no doubt in my mind that those will soon change. Plans have a way of keeping their own agenda and forgetting that someone wanted the future pinned down and wrapped up with a nice bow. Our education has just begun and there are no reference books or detailed project instructions waiting for us.

What happens now? At moments such as these where I’m stepping into the complete unknown, I refer to the indispensable advice of a teacher many of us grew up with. As Ms. Frizzle from the Magic School Bus would say: “Take chances, make mistakes, get messy.”

The first idea – to take chances – seems simple enough, but how many of us have backed away from something because we thought we’d fail in the end? Failure is daunting and so we end up not taking those risks. I’ve found myself yelling at all of those reality game shows time and time again when they fail to take that final leap, the last pursuit of the big prize. They always play it safe, leaving with what they’ve already won. But they came there with nothing, no prize in hand, no promise of winning. Why not take the risk? You came with nothing, the worst that can happen is you leave the same way. Don’t be the person who is always wondering what could have been. Take the risk, take the chance, and be happier knowing the outcome than wondering what might have been.

No one wants to be wrong. No one wants to fail. However, we learn from our mistakes. Sometimes our mistakes lead to the best kind of experiences.

All of us need to be more involved in the world. It is not enough to talk about the problems we see around us each day. Talking does not solve all problems. We need to stand behind our words. We need to get messy, jump into the situations we want to fix. Mahatma Ghandi said, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” What are we changing? It is simply not enough just to discuss what we know is wrong, we must do something. We must be involved. Leave a positive mark on this world. Do something you want to be remembered for. Even if it is only to be remembered by the ones who love you. Do not be afraid to get messy.

I wish the best to everyone in this senior class, and I know that your lives will have a great impact on the world. Do not forget that you are significant, that you have the ability to cause change, and that you can do anything that you can dream of. The rest of our lives are waiting, let’s make it count.