Dear Graduates:
Years
ago, you have embarked in a journey with great hope
and enthusiasm. You believed that there is nothing that you could not conquer.
With the energy and idealism flowing in your veins, you surmised that the world
was too small to spread your wings over.
However,
the passage of time has withered your hope and enthusiasm. The weight of
responsibilities which were imposed upon your shoulders dried up the energy and
idealism in your veins. This is to be expected since you have chosen a field of
endeavour which demands more than what an ordinary human being could give—an adventure
where the lukewarm and timid would not last half of the journey. But despite of
this, you persevered until the race is finished.
You
are here today ready to take up the rewards of your patience and perseverance.
More than anything else, this day marks the rebirth of a new you. You are not
the same person as before—you are now an offspring of your sacrifices and
triumphs. You are the news of the day. To you belong the sunshine and the
stars.
The
past is expected to come back somehow. However, the past is not about your
family, teachers, friends or enemies. The past is not about broken dreams and shattered
spirit. It is not about the confusion and worries of the yesteryears. It is not
about your parents, siblings or relatives—no matter how you love or avoid them.
It is not about your teachers—no matter how amiable or awesome or wretched or
wicked they are. It is not about your friends—no matter how faithful or
consoling or conceited or treacherous they are, or no matter how they
turned-out to be your best enemies.
The
past is about you. It has always been about you. It is about how you dealt with
your family, teachers, friends or enemies. Your memories of people depend on
how you see and receive them in your life. They exist for themselves; you—your existence
does not depend on theirs.
The
days following your graduation will still be euphoric. You will continue to
walk in “cloud nine” for a few more days. Don’t hurry up. Reflect for a while. Your
new world will start to dawn upon you when you tread on the new path that you
have chosen after leaving the one that you have traveled with your teachers.
Of
course, there are certain lessons that you must always remember. After all,
there are memories which could not be considered as prison. There are memories
which bring you smiles and laughters. There are memories which make you feel
proud and triumphant.
Sail
on. Keep moving. Find new adventures. Make your life meaningful. Take risk.
Cry,
if you must, but tell the world that you will never quit. Never quit—life is
about advancing and challenging and conquering. Life is about not quitting!
Do
not forget your roots. Always touch the ground no matter how high you soar. Do
not forget the reason why you are here today. Be true to your words—make them
your bond. Do not break the trust and confidence of your most loyal friends and
love ones. Be true to yourself and you will always see the truth in others.
Be
the best! The best is always the most upright and socially-committed to serve
others—and if you are not the most upright and socially-committed to serve others,
then you will not be the best. Do not forget the weak, the poor and the
oppressed. Do everything to strengthen them, to improve their lot, to vindicate
their rights.
Do
not fear to hold power or to be entrusted with it—in your hands are the
greatest potentials for good and as such, the greatest responsibility for
humankind.
Remember
this. Always bear this in your mind—the future is yours and every good thing that
your heart desires if you remain true, good and beautiful no matter what. So
keep calm and be true, good and beautiful always.
Godspeed!
Advance,
don’t quit!
Sail
on, companeros y companeras!
