Graduation

Last night, while attending my brother's high school graduation, I sat and watched these kids give these unbelievably dull and uninspiring speeches. After nearly falling asleep, I vowed to go home and write a better speech. Not just a better speech, but a graduation speech. So assume that I am the grand leader of my high school and 2007 is my year. This is what I would say.

2007! The end of 12th grade. The end of waking up at 6 in the morning. The end of school lunch. The end of peer pressure. The end of teacher pressure. The end of rules. The end of regulation. The end of high school.

The beginning of freedom. And with that freedom, I find it within my responsibilities to urge you to not make this the end. It is not the end of anything but high school. It is the end of chapter 12 in our scholastic career and as I look out and see all of you, I know that every single one of you are more than a 12 chapter book.

You are only half written. You are a work in progress and you owe it to yourself to not stop now. You owe it to everyone who believes in you to not stop now. You owe it to those who do not believe in you to not stop now. You owe it to the world to not stop now. You owe it your future wives, husbands, and children to not stop now.

McDonald's, Burger King, Wal-Mart, Winn-Dixie, Publix, and even KFC might be ok for some people. It's ok for the manager, he's not doing so bad. But it's not ok for me, and it's not ok for you. I have set higher standards for myself, and I am telling you now that you need to set your standards higher than that. It is your future if you choose to stop now.

A lifetime of angry Whopper-seeking customers who want their burger made their way just doesn't sound like what I deserve. It's not what you deserve either. What you deserve is the best you can get. Something better than nothing. I give all the credit in the world to the guy driving the UPS truck. All the credit in the world to the guy delivering the food to McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's. It's a true skill and they worked hard to get their job.

It's not hard to make yourself. You don't have to goto Harvard for 8 years and become a Spinal Surgeon. You just have to do your best. Something other than nothing. If you sit back, get comfortable on your couch and play Xbox for the next 6 years, you will deeply regret the time that comes when you actually need to be more than you are now, as a means of survival.

The bottom line is this: You are worth it. You can make yourself. I look out and see nothing but play-doh and clay. Stone blocks ready to be carved into art and creations. We're ready to go off into the world and to be molded into something great. We are ready to change the world. We are ready and prepared to take the steps towards the greatness we deserve. Believe in yourself. You are worth it. Get up and go, don't ever stop, and fly on towards your destiny.

The destiny to be great. The destiny to succeed. The destiny to love. The destiny to protect, to nourish, and most of all... The destiny to be the best that you can be; because you are worth it. So that's that. They would clap for me, and I would be seen as their inspirational godly leader. It's all about boosting peoples' confidence so they can get the balls to chase their dreams. Not everyone can aimlessly and blindly have faith in themselves like I can.