AS A MEMBER OF THE CLASS 2010, I am honored and humbled in bidding you farewell. At this very moment a medley of pleasure and sadness alternately creeping in my memory, every minutes of joy, indeed are tainted with sadness. Those past series episode of high school life for sure, will be long remembered and will not be buried in oblivion with the long march of time.
This Graduation Day, is a meaningful moment in our lives, for it is the end of the previous and the beginning of a new voyage – a voyage into a nameless or uncharted sea -- the future. The voyage into the future is rough and filled with swelling waves; whether you will continue sailing or not, the answer belongs to you. Eleanor Roosevelt reminds us, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” In the same breath however, “The man who graduates today and stop learning tomorrow is uneducated the day after.”
My four year stint in this school have gave me a greater time to reflect and find out who really I was, which Plato himself enjoined us, “Know Thy Self.” I have learned that being yourself is the best thing for self circumspection. My social science class, recess time, and time looking for real friends, are important memories I have from this school. My social science class taught me to appreciate the world I live in and the knowledge of environmental concerns and social endeavor. My recess time, however, is a time filled with jokes and fun. Above all, I have learned, “The best teacher teaches from the heart, not from the book.”
Whatever it may hold, our school has prepared us to whatever challenges we may confront. They taught us to learn and grow in every phases of life; to be men/women of faith and men/women for others and always reminded us to keep our lives in perspective.
TODAY, MARKS THE DAY we begin planning our journey – a nobler and enormous task of forging a path – a meaningful and fulfilling path – to
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uncharted sea – the FUTURE. This is a voyage of life that will brings us to many inlets, sea artery, canals, roundabout passages; through a billowy sea and sea storms and we cannot foresee what awaits us beyond the horizon. Many obstacles will surely come across our journey -- many obstacles that would surely challenge our faith, strength and wisdom. These obstacles are an offshoot of our personal shortcomings, by the things around us or either by human itself. There is the danger that we may get even lost and equally the chances to be retrieved, or successfully arrived at.
In the midst of our journey, while the sea breeze continually showers our faces and the coldness of sea water pierces into our body, our memory will flashes back, when our teachers teaches us to pilot our ship. And we would realized, now we shall be our own pilot, ourselves, that had it not been by them we would not now ready to leave this harbor, this school and embark on the greater voyage of real life.
Shortly, before we embarked we would ask ourselves, apparently seeking for assurance: are we adequately prepared for a voyage? Are those experiences and formative knowledge we acquired in this school can give us an extent of confidence? A fraction of it may be which may enlist a measure of comfort. Such are microcosm in the jigsaw puzzles of finding meaning in the rest of our lives as we voyage from the seaport into the deepest seas. We may all cautiously and diligently prepare ourselves for a voyage; but, can we answer with certainty of where we are going? Who among us can answer with no equivocation nor tinges of doubt that we really know where we are going? Either your answer is affirmative or negative; it will surely reproduce another question: How shall we navigate our way? How shall we plot our course to track exactly the right navigational lane? What radar, maritime point, heavenly bodies, and directional compass shall we use to identify our direction? Has anybody here assured of reaching his destination? With humility and candidness, I would say that many of us have undecided yet of their destination, do not even know how it be chosen, or others are in the limbo of uncertainty.
We need to think placidly and look back from where we are and before we finally start with our voyage we need to remember the long river of our school over which we have sailed these four years. Remember the advise
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of Plato, “The direction in which navigation (education) starts a man determine his future.”
NOW, I AM INVITING YOU to imagine the vastness of the seas. Its calmness, its cradle-like waves and temperate sea breeze, dictates a seemingly perfect place in launching a voyage. But, be cautious, be vigilant, and remember the words of Camus, “There is no peace in silence.”
From a distance our seas are beautiful, comparable to that beauty excellently infused in the Philosophies of Buddhism, which our own hero named it, “Pearl of the Orient Seas.” But, be cautious as Balagtas even warned us,” It is in beauty where infidelity resides.” In our seas, if we shall closely look at are hidden obstacles that would surely hinder our voyage to peacefully reach our destination. The seas where we would embark our voyage are crafted with man made glaring omen of danger. Our seas are filled with savages of corruption; scattered weeds of violence; rubbish of unfaithful leaders who delivers our people into the quagmire of poverty; flotsam of greedy government officials who enriched themselves while in power; refuse of law enforcers who turned the country into a garrison state; scums of irresponsible and negligent leaders; a waste of mountainous external debt that virtually mortgage our future; and, garbage of leaders who treacherously sold our natural resources.
Such obstacles, virtually are pirates in the open seas which senselessly harassed, hijacked or seized our hopes all aboard in a voyage. With these savages, the uncertainty in cruising for a safety voyage is so real. I summoned you, let them that be. They are an impervious atrocities that we should not allow to impair our voyage to the future neither allow them to abort our destination.
We must instill in our heart, the tenacity of undefeated and the truth that we were not born a loser. Never allowed those savages of the seas diminished our courage, falter our faith, and instead keep rowing with our voyage and fight like a valiant crusader of truth. But, we need to leave a promise and firmed commitment to ourselves, that in the future
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after the long march of time in doing a voyage, after we have mustered enough strength, experience and knowledge, we shall go back and work hand in hand to eradicate the savages perpetrated by those leaders engrossed with diabolic minds. If “Every generation needs a revolution,” as Thomas Jefferson advocated, so be it, if it is a change for the better. This is to clear the way for the voyage of our next generations.
There are more fortuitous or unforeseen events that are beyond the commerce of men. Such events are all in the hands of God. However, in the face of intractable odds or seemingly insurmountable barrier along our voyage, the inalienable forces of our personal experiences and the knowledge inculcated in our minds by our mentors shall be a full-moon light that would forever enlightened our way.
MY DEAR TEACHERS and school officials, at this moment, I cannot exactly define the words that would fit to all the good things you did. Had it not been for your guidance and wisdom we would not be ready to leave this school, this harbor, and embark on the greater voyage of real life. It is at your untiring efforts and broader understanding that we have blessed with this privilege. The amount of entrusting ourselves to you is of great profit to us and to you is of great fulfillment. Our school, Saint John Academy, a marvelous high school, located in Bataan, the place where the last bastion in defense of our freedom, until the unceasing march of time ceases, shall forever be looked upon with pride.
As the name of our school suggest, Saint John Academy, name after John, the apostle of Jesus, who was seized and in jailed while teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead, shall forever be erected and continue sprinkling the fountain of hope as manifested and interpreted in the resurrection of Jesus. This school, our academy will forever be erected, as we, all the graduates are living monument of its greatness and excellence.
To you teachers and my teachers, our deepest appreciation. You were the very reason why we are here today. You put an end to the four yearlong episode of our high school life – a long episode worthwhile to be
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remembered. Surely, we have contributed a lot of anxieties to you during the year, for being stubborn, unruly and disobedient, which almost exhaust your remaining patience. But, with unfaltering faith and honesty with your profession, you patiently and devotedly guided us climb the mountain of learning. We cannot match the things you gave us and the best thing we can do is appreciate it. Thank you, our teachers. As we bid farewell to you, we express a fervent prayer that your days will be longer and triumphant as you also always wants us to be, and be blessed with precious gift and glory this world can give. Again, my teachers, a favorite quotation of Ninoy Aquino from a Chinese sage will perfectly described our earnest gratitude: “There is a sublime thieving in all giving. A man gives us all and we are his forever.”
TO OUR PARENTS, TO MY PARENTS, whom, as Cynthia Ozick said, “We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.” Today, I address to our parents, my parents, the words of James Allen, “No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.” I may be here today because of our teacher, but I assure you, I may not be in this world without my loving parents. Thank You, my dear parents.
My classmates, the pendulum of time keeps on swaying. We cannot dictate when it would stop. The time of our school days is likewise tickling slowly and slowly, and in a few hour it will ceases. My classmates, I feel it is indeed a parting time. “Every parting is a form of death, as every reunion is a type of heaven.” However, I haven’t got enough courage to say farewell; all I can say for the moment: Till We Meet Again.
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