My son is a freshman in college this year. I was cleaning up and found a letter from a teacher along with a letter of recommendation. It reminded me how much teachers care for our children. It was such a great little life handbook I thought it was worth posting. So many great things here that will boost mental and emotional well-being. The values and principles we live by go a long way.
Enjoy, and remember to thank a teacher today…
April 17, 2026
As a senior, this is most likely a crazy time for you. It’s one of the most frustrating, scary, stressful, over-demanding moments of your life, and the bad news is that that is what adulthood is like a lot of the time! The good news, however, is that right now is also a really exciting time when you get to finally jump through the hoops that people have set for you all of your life and decide for yourself which direction to go next. And on these next roads, while you’ll still have all of the nonsense of fulfilling what other people want from you, the road is yours. You will have the power and wherewithal to live the life that you want to live.
On that note, I thought that I’d give you a few lines from my tiny Book of Wisdom (Lutz edition).
For all these years, people – teachers, mom, dad, Uncle Ralph (everyone seems to have some outlandish family member who advises them, and probably badly) – have done their best to equip you with what you’ll need. And now you’re almost to that point where you get to use it all, on your own. And you will be ready – if you stay sharp, laugh at the idiocies of life, and are willing to take your lumps when you have them coming. If you can do all that, then you can thank your family for instilling within you these strengths.
What else can I say? Some of this is ripped off from Polonius, some from what I was told growing up, and some from good ol’ experience, but I think it’s darned good stuff worth remembering:
Know who your friends are and reach out to them.
Be able to stand alone.
Don’t be afraid of silence. Get comfortable in its folds, and you will hear what you otherwise couldn’t.
Don’t be afraid to do well.
Don’t be ashamed to be smarter than someone else, but don’t lord it over them either.
Surround yourself by people who are stronger, faster, more creative than you; they will inspire you to become better.
Know your place – people appreciate this – and keep your sights trained on that other place you want to get to.
Find a job that will let you laugh and work hard even when it feels like it doesn’t matter.
Be thankful to all powers above you and to the people who serve you.
Always tip your waiters, but only give them what you think they deserve. No matter the tip, treat them kindly. How you treat people who serve you says a lot about your character.
Say please.
Smile.
Get up when you fall.
If you need to, get up again.
Get up yet again, and you probably won’t go down anymore.
In case you do, get up again.
Know when and how to apologize; you’re not perfect but shouldn’t make yourself seem imperfect needlessly.
Be humble; there’s ALWAYS a bigger dog.
Have fun with the right people. The wrong people might feel like fun, but at some point the wrong kind of fun will become a problem.
Love everyone. You DO NOT have to accept their choices, and it doesn’t make you small-minded if you don’t. But you should love them all. It is not your place or responsibility to change anyone; simply love them.
Someday give your heart wholly to someone who will keep it for you both and is willing to return the blessing.
And remember to forgive because that person is not perfect either.
Remember that today’s gadgets and fashions will be comical and embarrassing in ten years. Don’t chase them. Chase what you can keep forever.
That’s all I have. I have faith that you will have a good life if you follow these rules.
Also, eat your vegetables.
In all sincerity,
Mr. Lutz
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