This is the time of the year when students at all levels of education - elementary, secondary and post-secondary - take part in that symbolic celebration we call graduation. I have attended many of them over the course of my life - some as a graduate and others as a proud parent. The common element at every graduation is “hope”! The diploma signifies completion of a particular stage in one’s education, but it also opens the door to a world of hopes and dreams. Each graduate hopes to embark on a journey of life which will lead to personal satisfaction and fulfilment. In reality, life will be filled with many happy moments, but it will also be filled with many unhappy, disappointing and puzzling moments which are hard to understand. For many, life will in fact result in the achievement of all of their dreams, but these dreams may develop in ways that are hard to see right away.

As my graduation gift to all students at all levels of education, and as a reminder to all of us who have already graduated many years ago, I want to share this story with you. It is a classic, and will help you to see that sometimes your dreams come true without you even realizing it.

“Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said. “Some day I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty.”

Then the second tree said, “Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull.”

Finally the third tree said, “I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me.”

After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, “This looks like a strong tree. I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter.” As he began cutting it down, the tree was happy because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest like he always wanted.

At the second tree a woodsman said, “This looks like a strong tree. I should be able to sell it to the shipyard.” The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.

When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, “ I don’t need anything at all from my tree so I’ll take this one.” And he cut it down.

When the first tree arrived at the carpenter’s, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for.

The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end.

The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark. The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams.

Then one day, a man and a woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew  that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.

Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a storm arose and the tree didn’t think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and he stood and said, “Peace” and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.

Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.

As you go forward on your journey of life, you may find that your dreams don’t always seem to be working out. Just remember that you have been given great gifts and each of us will eventually get what we wanted, just not in the way we may have imagined.

Take your diploma and your dreams and be the best you can be at whatever life brings you. One day, many years from now, you will have the wisdom to realize that your journey of life took you to your dreams and helped you to become a true gift to the people around you.