To the graduate...

I know you think you have heard it all before,
Through the several parties and the speeches galore,
But if you took a second to listen to one more boring old man,
I will give you my two cents the best way I can.
They say when you graduate it is not the end, in fact its only the beginning,
Soon you will have to balance a job, a family and that alone can keep your head spinning,
Soon the things you have come to learn will all seem to make less sense,
And you will find out that most of the things people say are said out of pretense,
Soon the walls you built to protect yourself will fall down brick by brick,
And you will have to build new ones in their place that should be twice as thick.
Soon you will understand that not everybody can be understanding,
And in everything you do society will be quite demanding,
Soon you will see that patience really is a virtue,
And most people that make you smile just want to hurt you,
Soon you will come to appreciate your parents more and more,
And you will see the wisdom in the words of men of yore,
Soon you will find that you have to fight your own battles,
And no one else will be there you have to protect your own chattels,
Soon you will know that you need people around not matter how small they may seem,
And its not as easy as it looks to catch your running dream,
Soon it will look like life has knocked you down to your knees,
And what was first smooth sailing won't come with such ease.
At these times child I tell you take heart let not yourself be troubled,
For to he who works twice as hard the reward will be doubled,
So even when you are knocked back and you feel like you will fall,
Get up off your knees, puff out your chest, look up, and stand tall,
Let nothing block your sight get the past out of your eyes,
And focus on the prize until your dreams you realize,
Just keep going nothing will be given you on a silver platter,
But most importantly forget not it is the little things that matter