Dear Class of 2023,

I’m proud of you.

More on that later, but for now I just wanted to take a few minutes to say congratulations to those who have already graduated and to those who will complete their high school journey in the coming days.

I graduated from high school nearly 40 years ago, and I remember what it was like when an older person tried to give me advice about the future. I listened politely, and then ignored the advice and promptly did — or didn’t do — the exact things they warned me about.

My job as sports editor of the Longview News-Journal allows me to hang around high school and college kids and write about their accomplishments in their chosen sports. Not afraid to admit I get sort of attached to you knuckleheads, and I want to see you succeed in life.

So, please indulge an old-timer and at least consider these few pieces of advice as you prepare for the next step in your future.

Pick your battles.

Not every fight has to include you, and you’ll eventually realize sometimes the only way to find peace is to be a peacemaker.

That said, when you decide something is worth fighting for, fight like you are the third monkey trying to board Noah’s Ark and you just heard thunder.

Make “forever” matter.

Your idea of forever will change as time goes on. In high school, forever was the time it took for a class you didn’t particularly like to end. It was the wait for Friday night so you could suit up with your teammates, or cheer, or perform at halftime with the band or drill team.

Forever was how long it took for the cute boy or cute girl to realize what a great person you were and either ask you out or finally say yes when you asked them out.

Those forevers matter now, but the forever I’m talking about is the kind you won’t think about until about 25 years down the road and your own kids are about to graduate.

When that happens, I hope you look back on high school and remember some other important people you’ll forever be indebted to.

Like the teacher who never gave up on you and refused to let you give up on yourself.

Like the coach who forced you to think about the team instead of yourself, because whether you became a professional athlete or simply entered the workforce, successful teams or companies rely on people who either know how to lead or know the importance of following directions.

Your friends might be the most important forever. Don’t forget to take care of them now and later, and don’t be afraid or too proud to let them take care of you when you need them.

Now, back to that “I’m proud of you” part.

I wish every kid walking across a stage this graduation season had parents who said “I’m proud of you” to them the first thing each morning and the last thing each night, and I wish every kid had at least one good friend who said “I’m proud of you” at just the right moment during the course of a bad day.

I know that’s not the case, and it breaks my heart, so I’ll go ahead and say it.

I’m proud of you, and you should be proud of yourself.

I realize that might not mean much coming from an old-timer most of you have never met, but it’s true and if I’m still around in 25 years, I’ll tell your graduating kids the same thing.

Congratulations again.

Now, go out and have a fantastic forever.