THE DAD ZONE : Some graduate gifts withstand test of time
Posted on Wednesday, May 7, 2008
The blue metal toolbox on top of an old filing cabinet doesn’t get much use these days, but it functions just as well as the day it was unwrapped. The card said something along the lines of “Congratulations, graduate.” That was 27 years ago and, based on a memory that’s fading like the paint on the toolbox, it’s one of two high school graduation gifts I still can put my hands on.
The other surviving gift is a collegiate dictionary. The hard red cover is tattered. Page 449-450 is pulled from the binding but still in the book, just in case I need to look up fasciation. Who knows, maybe I’ll write a book about plants. My name’s written on the “Presented to” line on the first page, with “Ronald Ragean” listed as the giver of the dictionary. I never was much for spelling.
A collegiate dictionary is the “graduation gift” of choice of some friends of ours. When their kids graduated from high school, they got a dictionary, as did mine. Even in our Internet age, no bookshelf should be without a good dictionary and the Bible. Those two resources are essential for understanding much of Western literature. So, if you’re buying graduation gifts this month, you can’t go wrong with a dictionary or a Bible.
Other than those, I’d stick with short, easy reads when giving books as gifts for graduates.
Some ideas: The Treasure Principle: Discovering the Secret of Joyful Giving by Randy Alcorn. This covers the rewards of giving generously, while providing graduates a foundation for selflessness. Season of Life by Jeffrey Marx. This chronicles some life-lessons learned by the author after spending a fall with a former professional football player who takes an unconventional approach in helping coach a high school team. It’s a great book for sons and their fathers, as well as anyone who coaches a sport. Its focus on “authentic manhood” might not be as meaningful to girls, although it certainly offers a picture of what they should look for in men (which isn’t what our culture tells them to look for ).
Brown Like Coffee by The List Guy. This is a series of short essays, mostly lists, written specifically for college-age students. It’s a fun, easy read, but it challenges conventional thinking on a good number of topics. It’s not available in brickand-mortar stores, but you can find it online at Amazon. com or brownlikecoffee. com.
Don’t want to give books ? How about tickets to see Expelled, the Ben Stein documentary about academia’s efforts to silence academic debate ? College graduates will watch it and recognize the realities, while high school graduates can see some of what they’re in for if they’re going to a university. Parts of it are funny; parts downright chilling.
If you want something less media and more keepsake, then jewelry always seems like a good idea — maybe a customized charm bracelet or a custommade ring.
My gift to graduating students is this piece of advice: Take a piece of paper and write a list of your parents’ best qualities. At this stage of life, hopefully you no longer see them as total dorks, so coming up with at least five positive qualities for each should be a breeze. Make it a goal to become your parents, at least where those positive qualities are concerned. Then put the list somewhere safe, like, say your new dictionary or your new toolbox. Pull it out in 27 years and see how you’ve done. Then look in the mirror. You’ll notice the qualities listed won’t be the only ways in which you’ll resemble your parents. Stephen Caldwell, a father of four and grandfather of two, lives in Fayetteville. He can be reached at stephen@wordbuilders. biz
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