I AM UNIQUE. THE WORLD, SO OLD, HAS NEVER HAD ME IN IT BEFORE. THE UNIVERSE, SO LARGE, HOLDS NOWHERE ELSE MY MIND AND MATTER.

MY LIFE MAY BE LONG OR SHORT, BUT HERE I AM, TO KNOW THE PAIN AND ELATION OF LIFE, TO LEARN EVERY DAY, TO BE FEARLESS, TO GROW IN UNFORESEEN WAYS.

I WILL TRY TO ENJOY THIS TIME ON EARTH, WHILE NOT HURTING OTHERS. THOUGH MY LIVING TAKES FROM THE EARTH, I WILL TRY TO GIVE TO IT MORE THAN I TAKE.

MY MIND GIVES ME THE POWER OF REASON. I WILL SEEK TRUTH THROUGH FACTS AND REASON, AND CULTIVATE THE POWER OF MY MIND TO IMAGINE AND TO CREATE AND TO DISCOVER. MY BODY IS A MARVEL AND MINE TO CARE FOR. IF I CARE FOR IT POORLY, I AM DIMINISHED.

I AM A HUMAN. I LEARN FROM OTHER HUMANS, AND I RECOGNIZE THEIR INFLUENCE ON ME. BUT I HAVE THE STRENGTH TO BE MY OWN PERSON. I WILL EMPLOY MY MIND AND LEARNING TO CHOOSE MY PATHS IN LIFE, TO CHOOSE MY WAY OF BEING.

HUMANS CAN ACT IN GOOD WAYS OR BAD, WITH GENEROSITY OR CRUELTY. I WILL STRIVE TO BE GENEROUS AND FAIR, AND TO RESIST THOSE WHO ARE CRUEL OR UNJUST.

I AM A FREE PERSON. THOUGH I MAY BE A MEMBER OF A FAMILY, A COMMUNITY OR A NATION, MY DECISIONS ARE FOR ME TO MAKE. AND BECAUSE I AM FREE, I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR MY DECISIONS.

BEING FREE, I RECOGNIZE THE FREEDOM OF OTHERS TO CONDUCT THEIR LIVES AS THEY CHOOSE, SO LONG AS THEY ARE TOLERANT OF ALL PERSONS WHO CAUSE THEM NO PHYSICAL HARM.

IF, IN MY PASSAGE THROUGH LIFE, I AM TO TAKE CARE OF CHILDREN, WHETHER MINE OR THOSE OF OTHERS, I WILL DO SO WITH WARMTH, WISE COUNSEL AND RESPECT FOR THEIR INDIVIDUALITY. BEING NEW TO THIS WORLD, THEIR FUTURE JOY AND DIGNITY DEPEND UPON THE PEOPLE WHO CARE FOR THEM.

I WILL CHERISH MY MINUTES ON THIS EARTH AND TURN MY ENERGIES TO GOOD DEEDS LARGE OR SMALL, KNOWING THAT STATUS AND MATERIAL WEALTH ARE NOTHING COMPARED TO MY DEEDS.

THE WORLD AROUND ME CHANGES, AND SO DO I. IN HARDSHIP I WILL FIND GREATER STRENGTH. FOR ALL OF THE FRUITS OF MY LIVING, I WILL BE GRATEFUL.

I WILL SEEK HAPPINESS AND EXAMINE MY LIFE AS IT UNFOLDS, FOR I AM THE ULTIMATE JUDGE OF ME.