In a long life I have on a number of occasions been asked to address various groups graduating from school or university or making the transition from one stage of life to another – for instance, new recruits in a company or first-time members of a national sports team.
On such occasions, especially with graduating students, I have tried to strike a note which emphasises the opportunities which lie in store and the qualities which are needed to take advantage of those opportunities – at the same time exhorting the aspiring young people to seek achievements through teamwork and, their success achieved, never to forget those who have fallen by the wayside and the less fortunate who need help.
I have often made the point also that there is bound to be an element of chance and not just choice in the future that awaits so one had better grasp good fortune when it comes along – and I liked to quote the Australian poet Les Murray: