Graduation Speech

Graduation speech

Good afternoon distinguished guests, parents, teachers, administrators, friends and especially to the CLASS OF 2003.

Today marks the end of a chapter in our lives. Tomorrow we will embark on a journey to places unimaginable. No longer will we be sheltered by those things that have been our foundation for so many years. We will have to make decisions independently. In fact we will be independent. Independent from our parents, from our communities, and from the friends that have defined who we are. But, with this independence comes responsibility. Mark twain states "Independence is loyalty to one's best self and principles." Before starting the rest of our lives we must be sure of who we are. We must set principles for ourselves and stand firm on those principles. Fighting for what we believe in; never sacrificing who we are. We should never settle for less than our dreams. Each of us has the capacity to accomplish all of our goals. We are the walking embodiment of potential. At this time in our lives we have what most adults envy, options. Thomas Edison said "If we did the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves." Strive to live a life worth living. Do not define success as the amount of money in your pocket or the square footage of your homes. But instead determine success by the relationships you have and the happiness you find. We are prepared and eager to face the Journey ahead.

As we begin this next chapter of our lives, my desire is to live life to the fullest or as John Eldredge more eloquently states "I want to love with more abandon and stop waiting for others to love me first. I want to hurl myself into a creative work worthy of God. I want to charge the fields at Bannockburn, follow peter as he followed Christ out onto the sea. And pray from my hearts true desire."u

Congradulations

Best wishes

& God Bless each one of you.