Hadn't changed the photo since college.

I’ve decided I have too many picture frames, so for the next few weeks…I’m going to RID them one a week.

And, rather than talking about the frame, I’m going to talk about the picture that was in it.

This frame housed the picture of my parents and I at my college graduation.

My graduation was a huge step for me. Coming from a blue-collar background in rural Iowa, college was no guarantee. But I worked hard, and with my parent’s financial help, I graduated from Creighton University.

I think now (differently than I did then) that academics in college weren’t really that important. What was important was that I earned a degree, which would set up what I could earn later.

What college is valuable for, however…is getting to know who you are…and how to apply it. The socialization with friends, the ability to try out different majors, the ability to test and understand who you are.

Today, as I think about lifelong learning, that’s what it should be good for…to continue to test what you believe…and continually get to know yourself better. By understanding the world around you better.

Here’s to continuous learning…in all its forms.