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Awake to find that it was vanity. . . But the dreamers of the day are dangerous men That they may act to their dreams with open eyes. . . To make it possible Dreamers of the day. . .act their dream with open eyes. .to make it possible. I know what my dreams once were; what they are now. What it took to realize my dream and what it will take to make new dreams come true in the years ahead. And I'm convinced that for you and me to fulfill our dreams, we must start with open eyes, with open ears, and with open minds. In other words, with a willingness to learn all we can as long as we live. The array of options open to you will expand in direct proportion to the investments you make in yourself, especially the investments in knowledge. This means continual learning and continual change. Not just learning for the sake of getting a job but learning for the sake of getting a life... or, more accurately, building and fashioning a life. In just the 40 years since Sputnik - less than one American lifetime - humankind has amassed more knowledge about the stars, the earth, and the inner workings of our bodies than in any previous time in history. And yet, we've only just begun. Acting with open eyes, we humans have made some of our most compelling dreams come true. And I've been fortunate to have lived some of those dreams. I've walked in space, a tiny creature tethered to a small speck in a vast expanse of darkness and light. I've circled our planet every ninety minutes at an altitude of 385 miles, and witnessed its beauty - - and its fragility - in an indescribable way. I've been to the ocean floor and seen first hand a truly magical, hidden world as alive and as powerful as the one in which we move and work - yet less well known than the surface of the moon. These have been life-changing experiences for me. Each was born from a natural curiosity about our planet, and all were built on the realization that knowledge was the key I needed to unlock the doors of exploration and make my dreams possible. That learning was the most important capital investment for me to make. I certainly have no complaints about the returns these investments have provided: to be an oceanographer, join the space program, be invited to come to Columbus and lead COSI and, to my delight, be with you today at this great ceremony. Through all my schooling, and every day of my working life, I've tried to approach each moment with open eyes, open ears, and an open mind -- to truly be a Dreamer of the Day. To focus primarily on what I could learn, and how I could use this knowledge to make a real difference in my world. Many of the greatest contributors to our modern society have spent their lives investing in this way. People like Ada Deer, Daniel Koshland, Clifton Wharton, Wilbur 2
