This is the time of year with lots of “lasts.” Last day of class, last high school test, last school lunch, last alarm clock for high school class. Over 350 seniors in our community are experiencing those “lasts.”

Congratulations to the graduating seniors at both Bainbridge High School and Grace Christian Academy. You have much to be proud of and the community is proud of you and proud for you.

Graduation is a huge accomplishment and the close of the first chapter of life. Now, these graduates will have the opportunity to carve out their niche in this big world.

When the Bainbridge High School graduates walk the aisle tomorrow night, it will be their last official action as a high school student. The same applies to the Grace graduates the following night.

But, along with those lasts come many firsts. The first college class, the first job, the first paycheck, the first time living outside the family home.

Many different paths will be taken by each of these graduating seniors. Some have their future plans laid out meticulously, some have no idea what will come next, and some think they know what will come next. And all of the above is normal.

There’s an old adage that says, “If you want to see God laugh, just tell him your plans.”

Plans will change, there will be failures, and there will be successes. There will be ups and downs, peaks and valleys, happiness and sadness.

But, in the midst of all this, just know that this community supports and cares for each of you. I, along with our staff, have had the privilege of chronicling much of your school experience. Publishing stories and photos of your successes and accomplishments is one of the most important things we do at this newspaper.

If I could offer one bit of advice to each of these graduates, and I speak from experience, is to not be afraid of failure. Goodness knows I experienced my fair share of failures in life. But, the measure of a man is not always how you act, but how you react. React to failure with a passion. Failures will not define you or your future, but how you react to those failures might.

The famous actor Alan Alda, these graduates probably have no idea about this man, but their parents and grandparents surely remember Hawkeye Pierce from MASH, said this:

“You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. You can’t get there by bus, only by hard work and risk and by not quite knowing what you’re doing, but what you’ll discover will be wonderful. What you’ll discover will be yourself.”

Go be yourself and make us all proud. Congratulations and good luck.