Ryan closed with a poem by Raymond Carver called 'Late Fragments' — one of the last poems Carver wrote before his death. Ryan had encountered it on a deeply personal occasion: the memorial service for his dearest friend and former law school roommate Doug Kendall, who had died at 51. The 'even so' in the poem captured what Ryan called 'the recognition of the pain and disappointment that inevitably make up a full life, but also the hope that life, even so, offers the possibility of joy and contentment.' It was an adult's question — not the youthful optimism of believing life will be perfect, but the mature recognition that fulfillment comes despite and through difficulty. For education graduates specifically, Ryan connected 'beloved' to their mission: schools would be better places 'if students didn't simply perform well but also felt beloved — beloved by their teachers and by their fellow classmates.' The word itself meant more than loved — it meant 'cherished and respected.' That, ultimately, was both the goal of a good life and the measure of a good education.