Graduation Time

So, my cousin recently told me that another one of us Hunts had to speak at their high school graduation this year. Ah Yeah! She said it was great! Well, I started searching for the speech I gave in 2003 and finally found it in a silver file in our library. I thought I'd given the last copy to a friend's grandma when she asked for it for years now! I sang once in the MarVal choir, once in the special senior choir, and gave this speech during those commencement exercises. I remember the valedictorian reading a Dr. Seuss book (wait, was that Kate or was it Deidre?)I worked hard on it at the time, but that was 7 years ago. Enjoy the memory :D

Commencement Exercises at Marsh Valley High School 2003:

"""Well, we're here, gathered with all of our vast wisdom that we've accumulated over the past four years. I'd try to tell you everything I know tonight, but that may take too short a time.
We still have a plethora of things to learn, not only through education, but through experience.
Throughout the rest of our existence, we need to focus on the small and kind things, on living our own lives, and on rising from failures.
First of all, there are just as great men here tonight than there are anywhere else in the world. Greatness is intrinsic, it is in the personality. Greatness really consists of doing great deeds with little means- in the accomplishment of vast purposes; from the private ranks of life- in benefiting all that surrounds you. There, and there only, is the great test of human goodness and human ability. Aristotle said: "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act, but a habit."
Put your heart, mind, intellect, and soul even to your smallest acts. This is the secret to success. Think big thoughts, but relish small pleasures.
Try not to be a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value (Einstein). It is high time the ideal of success was replaced by the ideal of service, for they are one in the same. The value of a man resides in what he gives, not in what he is capable of receiving.
After tutoring a special education class first trimester of this year, I've had the privilege of being influenced by Justin Kay. Although Justin may not be capable of much human praise, he knows what true happiness is, to love and serve others. I'll never forget the nights he called to say he missed me or to strum me a love song on his guitar. We should all strive to show our appreciation to others. In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, and in return you will be happy.
Love your friends, family, yourself and your life. You are who you are because of their influences. I want to thank all my friends, family, teachers, and all those who have influenced me. Believe in appreciating life.
Next, Albert Einstein (I'll be mentioning his sayings a lot tonight because he is my hero), once said, "Few are those who see with their own eyes and feel with their own hearts." Many times we get so wrapped up in the approval of others when that is not what is important. "To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing it's best night and day to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting"-E.E. Cummings. Be patient when the world ignores you; be calm and unspoiled when the world praises you. Never be afraid or hesitant to step off the accepted path and head off in your own direction if your heart tells you to.
Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do. To dream of the person you would like to be is to waste the person you are. I've always wanted to be tall, but as you can see, I am not. As some of you have noticed, I wear tall shoes (like the rocket dogs*that was for John:) to make me appear taller than I am. Recently, a friend told me to just enjoy my height, and try not to be like everyone else. So love and live your own life.
Don't be afraid of risks because if you don't risk anything, you risk even more. Sometimes you will succeed. Sometimes you will fail. If you ever make a mistake or fail in something, don't let that fall keep you from climbing. Confucius said: "Our greatest glory is not in winning, but in rising every time we fall." Winning isn't everything. Sometimes it is the one who fails who benefits most from the experience because they are the ones who look back and better themselves. Forget the times of your distress, but never forget what they taught you.
Finally, what lies behind you and before you are tiny matters compared to what lies within you. The other day I read a story of a boy who was bothering his dad to go play catch with him while his father was busy watching T.V. The dad finally got so aggravated with the boy bothering him that he tore up a magazine picture of a world, and told the little boy he'd play with him as soon as he could put the picture together. A few minutes later they boy returned and said, "I'm done daddy, can we play catch now?" Stunned, the father glanced at the small hands with the world pieced perfectly together. Amazed, the dad asked his child how he put the world together so quickly. "It was simple" stated the boy, "On the back of the world was a picture of a person, and once I put the person together, that's when the world came together". If we do not change our daily lives, we cannot change our world.
In closing, I want to tell our class that you are all incredible people, and we can do great things in the world. Your destiny is in your hands and your all-important decisions are your own to make, JUST never go to a doctor who's office plants have died. In the words of Confucius, wherever you do go, go with all your heart. Fear less, hope more; whine less breathe more; talk less say more; hate less love more; and all great and good things are yours.
I hope that our achievements in life shall be these- that we will fight for what is right and fair, that we will risk for that which matters, and that we will give help to those who are in need that we will leave the earth a better place for what we do and who we are."""
I remember plethora was the cool word that year:)