Giving honor to
God. Somewhere, some place a 47-year-old male just took his last breath
and therefore, being here with you in this moment is something that I do not
take lightly. Also, I want to thank the Paxon staff for inviting me to be
a part of your event. Although, I am just a fill in I won’t hold that
against anyone.
That being said I
was asked to provide a few perils of wisdom to you all and I don’t know about
you but anytime anyone ask me to do that I always feel a little old. I
mean I am not much of a Nana’er or Dabber but I got a mean two-step and I do
Tweet from time to time. However, given the request I will do my best and
not take too much of your time because I do know you all have things to
do.
So here we go there
are about 5 things that I think are relevant for you to know, particularly as
young people as you move forward to your next whatever your next may be.
Now I feel it is personally important for you to know that your next is not
going to look like anyone in this room. One of the things that I find
particularly fascinating about you all as a generation is your ability to not
only do your own thing, but how you all as a generation can make people and in
some instances contort society to fit your own model of how things should
be. But know matter if you are doing you or you are doing the masses I
feel like these things will work for you.
Therefore, I
present to you my 5 things…
1. True knowledge comes through experience and
everything else represents information. What I mean by that is you have
to go through some things in or to have experiences. This is particularly
important as many of you are navigating your late teens and some of you are
about to enter college you have this feel that you know everything and your
parents and or care givers ain’t up on what are experiencing, but I am here to
tell you that ain’t nothing new under the sun. It’s just
repackaged. Therefore, take advantage of some of the sage wisdom in your
life. It can save you from having to go through so much drama in the long
run. You don’t have to get burned by a fire in order to prove it’s hot when
10 people in your space have already had the experience and can tell you that’s
a fire and it will burn you.
2. Catastrophe and celebration are like joy and
pain they are simultaneous journeys and you cannot have one without the
other. What I mean by this is so many of us get lost in the celebration
of success and often times for the toll it took to get there. Therefore,
what I would like to do for you today is encourage each of you to not get to
high when things are great and not get to low when things are bad. Savor
the journey through each and appreciate the lessons on each. I say this
knowing it is hard when you are experiencing on of life moments, but I give you
this analogy. No one like to take Pepto Bismol or any other medicine, but
man what a relief we feel when it starts its healing action.
3. Do everything with F.I.R.E
Focus
Intention
Reverence
Energy
Success no matter
how you define it cannot happen without it.
4. The 4th point I particularly
leave with you all as young people because you all have grown up in an era
where service to others is more like an obligation rather than just what you do
as a member of the human race. But, the great Shirley Chilsom said,
“Service to others is the rent we pay for living on earth.” No one should
have to prod you or offer you bonus points to serve your neighbor. It
should be just something you do. Therefore, I challenge you to just
commit a random act of kindness and watch the liberation you get when you allow
yourself to be a manifestation of a POWER that’s greater than you.
5. The 5th and final point
I would like to make is that if you are really going to soar you not only have
to know your craft, but know yourself. Ain’t nothing more disturbing to
me than a delusional rapper or ballplayer. But in all seriousness we have
to be honest with ourselves more than anyone because I assure you today is
already passed and tomorrow is not promised and the graveyard is fill with
people who were either not honest with themselves or full of potential.
As I prepare to sit I leave you with a saying my Granddaddy Rob use to
say
Walk Slow – What he meant by that was no Holy person whether it was
Jesus, Mohammad or Buddha ever was in a hurry to do anything. Therefore, take your time and enjoy the
ride. I assure you it whatever it is
will be there.
Drink Plenty of Water – The journey of life is long. Therefore, if you are going to go you must
stay hydrated. There is something to
this water thing.
And keep your nose in front of you – What he meant was mind your own
business.
With that said
I bid you love
I bid you peace
And most of I bid you
understand
I AM
Dr. Irvin PeDro Cohen
