Recently Meg Moulton, Executive Director of the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools, gave the commencement address at St. Margaret’s School in the town of Tappahannock on the Rappahannock River in Essex County, Virginia. Invited by long time supporter of NCGS, board member, and former chairman of the board, Margaret Broad, Meg was delighted to speak. As she is retiring at the end of this month, it seems timely to share her “lessons learned” — this excerpt is from the close of her speech to the graduating girls.

. . . . LIFE LESSONS LEARNED
1)    From Abitu, age 6, in South Africa I learned the importance of an outstretched hand and the selflessness of those who are often the neediest.  I learned about hope and that even the toughest of times brings out the best in people.  Abitu was one of six children.  Her father is an unemployed and an alcoholic.  Her mother has HIV.  The only food she gets is a lunch of gruel and bread in school.  Sometimes she is so hungry that she chews on her pencil.  Her baby sister crawled away from the family’s tin roofed, one-room home.  Abitu found her three days later about a half a mile away asleep under a porch.  Despite all, Abitu always had a smile on her face, she let others eat before her.  Before I left I made a peanut butter sandwich for her.  She divided into six pieces and put the pieces in her pocket to share with her brothers and sisters and to hide from her mother for fear she we take it away and eat it herself.
2)    From one of Australia’s Grand Dame, Dame Elisabeth, I learned that a positive attitude is infectious. Even at age 100, Dame Elisabeth still takes a swim at 6 each morning.  From there she is busy almost every moment.  In the evening she devours books and soaks up opera.  Sleep she says is a waste of time.  From her, I learned that the future is often more important than the past.  When I asked her about her quite extraordinary past.  She was quick to stop me.  “I don’t think about the past, dear, she said, I focus on the future.  Look to the young people in your life.  They are the future.”
3)    From my father, I learned the pleasures of simple things – watching the sunrise, eating carrots out of the garden with nature’s salt (soil) sprinkled on them, enjoying the climb as much as the mountain tops, and touching people through a single word, a thought, a deed.
4)    From Ann Cotton, Director of Camfed and Social Entrepreneur, I learned the power of education to change lives.  For instance,
~    An extra year of female education in Africa can reduce infant mortality by 5 to 10%
~    Mothers who receive 5 years of primary education are 40% less likely to be HIV positive
~    When a woman in a developing country receives 7 or more years of education, she marries later and has 2.2 fewer children who are better educated and healthier.
5)    When girls and women with some education earn an income (and they’re more likely to do so), they reinvest 90% of it in their families compared to 30-40% for men
6)    From our children, I learned that honesty is always the best policy, that stubbornness is a positive character trait, and that what goes around comes around.
7)    From my husband, Peter, I learned that all things are possible given time and someone’s love providing a soft cushion and iron-like strength when it comes to tackling the bumps in the road.
8)    From your head of school, Margaret Broad, I have learned steadfastness, dignity, the power of mindful leadership and a belief in the heart and soul of others and in an organization such as St. Margaret’s.

In closing, remember to hold tightly onto the 5 C’s you take from St. Margaret’s:  collaboration, communication, curiosity, confidence and courage.

With regard to the latter and to the constancy of change in your lives, remember e.e. cummings wise words:  “It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.”
So congratulations, and here’s to your becoming who you really are!