Congratulations to all of the high school graduates who will be celebrating as they move onto the next adventure in the lives.

            Whether you're entering the work force, the military, or planning to further your education, the staff at the Town and Country applauds you and wishes you nothing but the best.

            The world is a challenging place and current events in the Middle East and in Ukraine are fueling discontent, and yes, even violence here in the United States.  Uncertainty in Washington D.C. have added to anxiety at home.

            You endured and your youth and strength will go with you on your next journey.

            Let's face it, many adults throughout the world haven't been setting the best example for you.  We've presented you with challenges that you will have to face in the future.  But, I think you are up to doing a better job than we are doing today.

            We presented you with war, famine, lawlessness, inflation, protests, violence, shortages, high costs of prescriptions, and many more things we didn't want to trouble you with.

            We also provided you with a host of incompetent elected officials; not all mind you but enough to make you shake your head and wonder how it happened.  Transparency at nearly all segments of government is hard to find or, in some cases, no longer exists.  Officials seem content with deciding what you should and shouldn't know, usually based on what's beneficial for them to hide and not what's good for you to know.

            Artificial Intelligence has ushered in a new level of uncertainty.  It can be beneficial; it can be dangerous. 

            It appears common sense had been replaced with dollars and cents.  Just keep that money press churning and we'll let future generations worry about how to pay the bills when they come due.

            While there is a level of embarrassment in what we present to you, there is also all of the confidence we have that you will not make the same mistakes we made. 

            You are the future.  Stay strong and never lose the desire to do what you can to make this world a better place.  No matter how small, every contribution you make will add to all of the small steps others take and add up to make a big difference.

            "The world is your oyster" is a phase that means that you can do anything you wish or go anywhere you want in your life because you have the ability to do so.  A small percentage of oysters produce precious pearls.

            Be that precious pearl that will do a better job than we did.