Graduation Degree

poem by Barbara Burrow

If you can trust yourself though others doubt you

And conquer fears that limit what you dare

So you can then enrich the world around you

With skills and talents that are yours to share;

If you enjoy both quiet introspection

And festive times with friends and family,

If you make time for dreaming and reflection

But still find joy in others’ company;

If you can balance dreams with practicality

And deal in facts but never lose ideals,

If you can face the harshness of reality

And find the truths that prejudice conceals;

If you can be courageous when defeated

And humble in the face of victory

Or give your best until a task’s completed,

However difficult that task may be;

If you can be sincere when giving credit

And work at building bridges and not walls

Or strive to reach a prize until you get it,

Yet never fail to help someone who falls…

If you can temper facts with understanding

And manage well the things in your control

And neither be too lax nor too demanding

But keep in mind the worth of every soul;

If you can reach objectives, not begrudging

The patience, time, and effort you impart,

And look at others’ actions without judging

And see not with your eyes but with your heart;

If you can take resources that surround you

And use them in the way you feel is good,

You’ll be successful…and all those around you

Will be richer for your womanhood.