Words on a Distant Prospect of Ridgewood High School

With all apologies to Thomas Grey who wrote some wonderful poetry, including one that someone who considers himself or herself an educated person will be familiar with: "Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College."

A pal recently wrote to me that it would be wonderful to be aware that you are living in the good old days when you are in them. This I believe is possible as you grow older and more than half of your life has passed. But don't try to tell a teenager a bromide like this or else they'll think you lost, or worse, old and in the way.

Thomas Grey does offer some solace:

To each his sufferings: all are men,

Condemned alike to groan;

The tender for another's pain,

The unfeeling for his own.

Yet ah! why should they know their fate?

Since sorrow never comes too late,

And happiness too swiftly flies.

Thought would destroy their paradise.

No more; where ignorance is bliss,

'Tis folly to be wise.

With flocks of new graduates heading off to college or the job market it is hard not to want to offer your perceived wisdom gained through long toil and hopefully some somber self-reckoning. I feel this every day for my two nephews who each has a decision to make, one about prep school and the other about college.

I guess the best advice I can conjure up would be to not fear failure as it will find you from time to time despite all efforts to the contrary. I would also say that you ought to dare to be good at something and to try on a number of hats to see which one fits you best. Lastly, I would offer a purely practical piece of advice: learn to code. Being familiar with the lingua franca of our society will open many doors and one of these just might be the right one at the right time. If nothing else you will have something useful to bring to the table and it might even allow you an opportunity to speak your mind.