Other uncertainties waited in the shadows-an English thesis to write, organizations to run, goals to score, student government to charter, and, of course, lab practicals to take. Here in Honors Convocation, you, all of you, have met these challenges and may claim due worth and take joy. You have succeeded, and you will move on. When the doubts recur, remember what you have done here, the times you rose to the occasion. With you, I learn that the model you need for any new task is always within your own experience.
Nature is replete with rich stories that can provide images and metaphors for how to live.
Use of metaphor is a crucial attribute of humans we cannot do without. If you've taken a class with me, you might have heard this story because it demonstrates so well the experimental nature of biology. The only opportunity you would have for finding this frog would be to wander about in a jungle at night and listen for the calls of the males as they sing for mates by the edge of ponds. To your ear the song is not Top 40. Though this difference won't seem great to you, for the frog it makes a world of difference.