I've recently been invited by my Alma Mater to be their Guest of Honor and Speaker in the Graduation Program which happened 4 PM earlier today.
It is with much pride and honor that I share with you my speech that I uttered with the graduates and hoping it would inspire young minds as well.
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Good
afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, sirs and ma'ams, and to the
graduating students of Lorma Colleges Special Science High School.
It is with much honor that I am here infront of you now. It is also
with much pride that I'll be imbibing thoughts and inspiration to my
fellow Lormanians. To the Korean students, 'Annyong Haseyo'!
First
of all, I will not be asking you dance Harlem Shake nor Gangnam
Style. Though I would love to see you do that, not to make fun of
ourselves, but to celebrate and commemorate this milestone in your
lives. But if you want to that after the ceremony, please feel free.
;)
What
I will be asking you is a bit of your time and attention, and for you
to bare with me as I share some of my experiences and I'm hoping to
inspire you and bring out the best that you can be.
10
years ago, I was in the same spot as you are in now, in the same
grand event that I so look forward to ever since I stepped into high
school life – the graduation day. However, young as I was before,
I did not realize what came after it or what trials and struggles I
was about to face thereon. What I did know was that I will be
missing my friends, my teachers, and most especially the school where
I spent a couple of years of my life with. It is this time of our
lives that we have been able to nurture our social curiosities,
emotional dilemmas, and the sense of responsibility that has been
instilled with us by our parents and our teachers.
From
time to time, I still wish I could bring back the old memories that
I've left behind during my yesteryears. Though the probability of
that coming true is very slim, almost impossible, I have to move on
and realize that these memories and experiences have made me who I am
now and who I will be. Despite the years that went by, there was no
moment in my life that I regretted every decision I made, be it a
wrong one. Because then, I knew in my heart that these decisions
have been one of the many ingredients that influenced me and the
people around me. It is inevitable that there will come a point in
your life that you'd be facing the same struggles that I've
experienced, or even worse. The key, however, to succeeding, is in
not giving up. The trials that you have faced and will be facing are
nothing but trials that are meant for you to overcome.
Now,
if you would allow me, I have a short story to share with you.
Most
of you must've heard the saying: 'keep riding the wheel of life'. It
might sound cliché, but I'm telling you now, I'm a living existence
of that.
I
will share with you now my wheel of life.
18
years ago, my family and I had one of the grandest and most
extravagant life experiences anybody could ever wish for. My father
was then appointed as the provincial administrator of the province of
Ilocos Sur, and with it came the perks; having bodyguards surrounding
you wherever you go, you get to choose which among the selections of
cars you will ride, you have the influence, and lastly, the power. I
even remember having our living room populated with our 'bodyguards'
together with their 'tools', for a person without the experience,
that would come as a surprise, but me and my older brother was
already used to that like it was just rice on a Filipino dining
table. We went to school having excessive money allowance, more than
we can ever spend. It felt like a complete and happy life, but it
wasn't. We might have the power and the money, but there's something
we didn't quite have: true happiness and freedom. Both of my parents
were so busy with their careers that me and my older brother were
left to settle on our own, practically. We were also not able to go
to town and play with other kids our age without armed bodyguards
around. Security was also a big issue back then, having been
ambushed a few times. Soon thereafter, my parents realized and
decided that it is not the life they wanted us to grow up to and get
accustomed with. After all, not everything that glitters is gold.
One
of the most difficult struggles of my life, including my family,
happened during my high school period. It was this time that we
rarely had a centavo to spend and a healthy food to eat. For almost
three years of my studying time, I had to endure my very tight
leather shoes, which had the color of ash – mostly gray, but
blackened with the use of the available Kiwi shoe shiner. It had the
texture that of a dry soil. And believe me, it was an everyday
painful experience on my foot, until there came a time that I already
got used to the sensation.
There
were occasional times that I would request for a brand new pair of
leather shoes from my parents but would get a reply that we just
couldn't afford to have one. I fully understand them for that. How
can we even afford to buy a new pair of shoes when we can't even
afford to buy a decent meal for the family? My white polo school
uniform back then was also technically not white, but yellowish and
creamy in shade, because it is the same polo that I've been using
since the past few years of study. Or probably, if we had used the
latest Tide or Surf, it'd still be white. But it didn't stop there.
There were also frequent times that I was absent at school, though I
really am very eager to attend my classes, not because I'm sick, but
because I didn't have the money to pay for my transportation fare,
let alone to buy my snacks at school. This lead to a series of
emotional breakdowns, lost of self-confidence, and difficulty in
coping up with the lessons that I have missed, but I did not let this
hinder me, instead I converted this experience into a fruitful
inspiration.
Eventually
and indirectly, this has lead me to rebel against my social life,
become an introvert, and easily getting irritated, often getting into
fights. There even came a point that I became too exuberant and
unruly, which definitely affected my performance in class and the
guidance office has been a regular room that I'd usually visit.
One
day, after our Math class (if I remember it right), our teacher, miss
Alona Altarez, approached me and spoke to me regarding my behavior
and performance. There were only a few words that came out of her
mouth, and I still remember the life-changing phrase that she said:
'Reynante, kung lagi kang ganyan, walang mangyayari sa buhay mo.'
That moment, I felt like an ice cold water has just been poured over
my whole body. Since then, I changed my ways and had to endure
whatever comes my way, whatever it may be. And the rest was history.
The
wheel of life must go on, at times you are on the top, often on the
bottom. It doesn't really matter when, what matters is you hold on
to it no matter what.
We
all have our superpowers, and if you're wondering what's mine, my
superpower is gathering inspiration from everything and from
everyone. I believe this superpower beats Naruto's Rasengan, Son
Goku's Kame-hame Wave, or even those of the DotA characters you play.
You may be wondering why? The sole reason for this is that it enables
me to be who I want to be, physically and mentally, and even surpass
what other people might expect me to become. Now, I want each of you
to think what superpowers you have, and I want you to keep them, make
them stronger, and share them with others, beyond anything else.
In
addition to these, here's an inspiring message by Michael Josephson:
'What
will matter is not what you bought, but what you built;
not
what you got, but what you gave.
What
will matter is not your success, but your significance.
What
will matter is not what you learned, but what you taught.
What
will matter is not your competence, but your character.
What
will matter is not how many people you know,
but
how many will feel a lasting loss when you're gone.
What
will matter is not your memories, but the memories in those who love
you.
What
will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what.
Living
a life that matters doesn't happen by accident.
It's
not a matter of circumstance, but of choice.'
Before
I formally end my arduous speech, I have two favors to ask you,
graduating students; first, I'd like you to give yourselves the
loudest applause that you so deserve.
And
my second and last favor; when I count to three, I want you all to
shout 'Thank You' – this goes to your school, your teachers, your
friends, your crushes, and most especially to your family and
parents, for without them, you wouldn't be here now.
One,
two, three!
Thank
you so much for your time, gamsahamnida, and congratulations!
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-Reyn
