The Blog of Frank Spohr

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I received the following message after graduating from Webster University this year.  I’ve published it here to share its wisdom.

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Benjamin Akande, Ph.D. wrote:

I would like to share my Undergraduate Commencement address with you.

Lessons from Humpty
Delivered at the School of Business and Technology
Commencement Exercise

May 10, 2008Dean Benjamin Ola. Akande

AS A CHILD GROWING UP IN AFRICA, I WAS RAISED AND NURTURED WITH NURSERY RHYMES. SOME OF THESE RHYMES WERE MADE UP BY MY PARENTS, WHILE OTHERS WERE UNIVERSAL IN POPULARITY, BUT THERE WAS ONE RHYME THAT STAYED WITH ME ALL MY LIFE. IT’S A STORY OF ONE PERSON’S RISK, ENDURANCE AND PERSEVERANCE. IT’S THE STORY OF HUMPTY DUMPTY, THE ANTHROPOMORPHIC EGG WHO TRIED TO DEFY THE ODDS. ALL OF US CAN RECALL THE RHYME – HUMPTY DUMPTY SAT ON A WALL. HUMPTY DUMPTY HAD A GREAT FALL. ALL THE KING’S HORSES AND ALL THE KING’S MEN COULDN’T PUT HUMPTY DUMPTY TOGETHER AGAIN.

YES, THE KEY WORD TO FOCUS ON IS THE VERY LAST WORD OF THE RHYME – “AGAIN.” THIS CONFIRMS THAT THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT HUMPTY HAD FALLEN. HUMPTY WAS A SERIAL RISK TAKER. HE WAS BOLD, FEARLESS AND SOMEWHAT ENTREPRENEURIAL. HUMPTY HAD ATTEMPTED TO PURSUE THIS PERSONAL GOAL BEFORE AND SOMEHOW FELL SHORT. BUT, THIS EGG WAS NOT GOING TO ALLOW FAILURE TO DEFINE HIM. CLIMBING A WALL IS MOVING BEYOND WHERE YOU ARE. CLIMBING A WALL IS OVERCOMING ADVERSITY. CLIMBING A WALL IS CHALLENGING CONVENTIONAL WISDOM. THERE IS A HUMPTY DUMPTY IN ALL OF US. AND SO, GRADUATES, AS YOU RECEIVE YOUR DIPLOMA FROM WEBSTER UNIVERSITY TODAY, I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO REMEMBER THE STORY OF HUMPTY.

THIS IS A STORY OF ONE EGG’S JOURNEY OF ENDURANCE AND THE WILLINGNESS TO KEEP TRYING. IT’S A LESSON THAT SPEAKS OF THE COURAGE TO SEEK CHALLENGES, TO CONNECT WITH OTHERS, TO MASTER NEW SKILLS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT IS A VIVID REMINDER THAT EVEN WHEN YOU DO ALL THESE THINGS RIGHT, YOU MAY FALL AND FALL AGAIN. BUT REST ASSURED THAT WHEN YOU FALL, YOU SHOULD STRIVE TO GET BACK ON THE SADDLE OF LIFE AND THAT YOU SHOULD NOT ALLOW SETBACKS TO DEFINE WHO YOU ARE. NONE OF US ARE PERFECT. WE ARE ALL STRIVING TO BE BETTER PEOPLE, SO DON’T SHRINK FROM THE CHALLENGES OF LIFE. LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE AND GIVE OTHERS THE PERMISSION TO DO THE SAME. IN CLOSING, I MUST CONFESS THAT I AM PARTICULARLY IMPRESSED WITH HUMPTY’S SUPPORT GROUP, YOU KNOW, HIS FRIENDS, ALL THE KING’S MEN AND KING’S HORSES. THEY WERE THE ULTIMATE SAFETY NET FOR HUMPTY. THESE ARE THE KIND OF FRIENDS WE ALL NEED. PEOPLE THAT WILL HELP PUT US BACK TOGETHER WHEN WE FALL.

MAY YOUR LIFE’S JOURNEY BE BLESSED WITH GOOD FRIENDS AND MAY YOU LEARN FROM YOUR FALLS AS WELL AS YOUR SUCCESSES. CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES.Best,

Benjamin

Benjamin Ola Akande, PhD
Dean, School of Business and Technology
Webster University

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