We talk about the roots of some of these things in a time when magic was a real force in the world. My students seem almost convinced by the example of profanity. Profanity has trouble magic, descended as it is from curses and a time when it was thought that you could call death down upon someone. Mr. Wood would have every right to be upset. Someone else said, no, it's not about the past.
Commencement means beginning.
It's opening magic. Like a sprinter crossing her-self before the dash. There's something else too, but I'll come back to it in a minute. First, I want to tell you about the strange time I had getting ready for today. I should preface my story by telling you how great it was to be asked to give this address.