For Brian As You Graduate Our son, Brian, graduated last week from Southeast Tech as an automotive technician. We are so proud of him and his accomplishments that Doug and I haven’t a button left on any of our shirts for the popping thereof.Brian and his twin brother, Blake, attended Hills-Beaver Creek High for their last two years of high school and graduated in 2004. Blake will be a junior at USD this fall.The high school years are very important in ateen’s life. It was the boys’ choice to transfer from Sioux Falls when we bought the farm. They went from being numbers in a city to faces with names in a town. We are extremely pleased at how the boys were received at HBC and how they grew in their years there.I could go on for pages about our children but this column is for Brian and for every other person taking a step to another level of life.Today, Brian and others, I would like to share with you some things that I know now but wish I had known sooner. Maybe somebody told me all this and I just did not pay attention at the time, but there is a chance that I might have. So I take this opportunity to pass along the chance in seven mini-sermons.1. Responsibility and authority are not the same things. Authority usually refers to your power over people. Those who crave authority usually lose it and it is ugly. Responsibility refers to your pledge to people.Most people hunger after authority and avoid responsibility. I have learned first hand that you can lose total respect for a person who does not take his responsibilities seriously. You have a great sense of accountability and I applaud it. I admire it in you. Don’t ever lose it.2. There are only two things in life that are free. When you place money into a savings account, you earn interest. Then that interest earns interest, or "compounds", which makes your money grow just that much faster. Compounding interest is something for nothing. The populace that are in search of the proverbial ‘free lunch’ should save the price of a large fry every week, put it in an interest bearing account, let it compound and then they could have their something for nothing. Save early and save often. Putting away for the future is not that hard if you make it a priority and a habit. It’s a no-brainer.There is nothing else on this earth that is free except your mother’s love.3. Don’t smoke. I could have paid for your entire education with what I spent on cigarettes. The dangers of second-hand smoke were not talked about in the mid 80’s. I live with that guilt every day that I may have stupidly planted the tiniest of cancer seed somewhere. You know, I cannot recall if anyone ever told me not to start or to quit smoking. So I’m telling you. 4. Integrity always matters. It matters to God and it should matter to you. Do what you promise you will do. It is as simple as that. It is telling the truth and doing the truth. It is doing something right even if no one would know if you did it wrong. It is accepting the blame if you make a mistake. It is making amends.5. Until you know how to handle a small amount of cash well, lots of money will only create bigger problems. More money will not fix everything. Remember to never keep it all (give some away) and never spend it all (save some for the future). Then you will never be broke.6. A sense of humor is a valuable asset. You can’t list it on a job application or use it as collateral on a loan but it will take you farther than you can ever imagine. Laugh at yourself like I do and you will never run out of material.Some people have trouble seeing the humor in their life situations. Never laugh at someone else’s mistakes unless they are laughing first. Humor sensitivity is an art. 7. Hand out lots of "atta boys." You would be surprised at how a small effort can really hearten another person. It shows that you have care and concern for them. A little encouragement goes a long way. It can be something that is hard to give away but it will always come back to bless you. Remember that false praise is just that: false. See number 4. Iris Murdoch, prolific British novelist, quips, "We live in a fantasy world, a world of illusion. The great task in life is to find reality." You are smart and good, I’m so proud to say. Laugh out loud along your chosen way. Target purpose, set a goal and don’t tempt fate. I will always be here to help you close the gate.Love, MomStory ideas or comments can be e-mailed to Nancy at Nancy861@msn.com or