To the class of 2007, I congratulate you on your graduation from high school and college. Your world is wide open. What is your next step?

You are young and smart, but wisdom may elude you at this tender age. Take a look around before your next move. Is there someone close to you who has had experiences you consider a great example of growth and wisdom? Let this person serve as your mentor. A mentor is the rare person who takes you under their wing, guides you just slightly and let’s you flourish. A mentor recognizes your eagerness to succeed and nourishes your efforts. Humility is a choice.

As you take your next steps, you will spend years discovering who you are. Go out and try new things, make mistakes. Skip the tattoo. Common sense is a choice.

Travel. Discover America; each city has a personality all its own. See the world; what you'll discover will be the true spirit of yourself. Courage is a choice.

You have something very worthwhile to offer the world in addition to your education; you have your very own perspective on life. Find a job in a field you truly love and you will be successful. Ambition is a choice.

Learn how it feels to make your own money. Spend a little but remember to save a little. Have fun living on your own in your own place. Learn how to support yourself and grow as a person. Self-sufficiency breeds self-confidence. Independence is a choice.

Now is a good time to think about establishing your own values. Know right from wrong. Have fun but don't break the law. Character is doing the right thing when no one is looking and it always counts whether it is in your business life or your personal life. Always treat others the way you would want to be treated. Integrity is a choice.

As you mature through your years, knowing yourself will make it easier to choose a partner. Statistics show you have a better chance for a successful marriage if you wait until your thirties to tie the knot. Love is a choice.

Keep close ties with your siblings; they understand you like no one else. Friends will drift in and out of your life. Some will be with you forever. It takes an effort to keep friends for a lifetime; good friends are important. Loyalty is a choice.
 
America is the greatest nation on earth. I realized my patriotism during my last semester in college while living in Italy. It was the Fourth of July and it was just another day. No hometown parades, no Cool Whip cakes resembling American flags, no fireworks with the significance behind it. I missed the camaraderie of our country celebrating our freedom together and I knew it was important. Patriotism is a choice.

Volunteer. Give something of yourself back to your community with no expectations in return. There are many people in the world who are less fortunate than you. It will make you happy to make other people happy. Sensitivity is a choice.

Smell the flowers along the way, literally. I bid you all the great wonders life has to offer. May you discover these treasures and make wise choices as you go. Life is a gift. Happiness is a choice.

Quote: "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." –Henry David Thoreau.

Jennifer Huard's column appears each Thursday. She welcomes your emails at jhuard@abqjournal.com .