My mom was cleaning our attic and found a copy of the speech I made during our highschool graduation. She encoded it in soft copy so I can have this piece handy.
As I was reading it, all the memories of highschool flashed back. I began to somehow reflect that my background was kinda solid that's why I'm somewhat successful in the field im pursuing at the moment.
So guys, feel free to read my speech during the last moments of my high school life. :)
SALUTATORY ADDRESS
NATHANIEL D. ALZAGA
IV – RIZAL
To our distinguished guest speaker, the presidential daughter, Ms. Evangelina Lourdes Macapagal Arroyo, our beloved principal, Mrs. Rebecca T. Arquero,the heads of the different departments, members of the faculty and staff, beloved parents, guests, friends and fellow graduates of the Palawan National School Batch 2004, good afternoon!
Today is the moment of truth for all the graduates of this experimental batch. As one of the triumphant voyagers of this institution for the last four years, it is my privilege to welcome you all in this significant beginning of another chapter of our lives.
Each of our paths begins today. Our life will be changing dramatically. Soon, we will be joining the academic world. As we begin to choose our path in life, keep in mind the words of Muriel Stode:
“Do not follow the path which the world leads, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
Be your own person and find the road to sheer happiness. Life is not all about focusing on your studies. It is not all about studying until the wee hours of the morning. It is indeed about enjoying yourself while learning and be happy with the life you choose. One great man has said, “I’d rather be failing at something I enjoy than be a success at something I hate.” Keep these words as a guiding principle in choosing what you want to do for the rest of your lives. There will be many obstacles and trials as we take the way to discover who we are to become. Life will be continuously changing and throwing curves at us. But remember this: the commitments we choose to will shape our lives and essentially determine our future. And so, if you want a better life, figure out what you love to do – what God gave you a heart to do – and then do it for His glory.
Palawan National School may seem to cuddle us from time to time to protect us from the outside world but it has also molded, shaped and nurtured the development of one quality within us: out ATTITUDE.
Our attitude defines us. It dictates our desires, our dreams, our passions and our achievements. It provides our very essence, it grants our destinies…hence it could either make or break us.
As Charles Swindoll said, “The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude in life. Attitude to me is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think, say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill.
We cannot change the past…we cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the last string we have, that is – our attitude.
I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% on how I react on it. And so it is with you, we are in charge of our attitudes.
Many are saying that our attitude shapes our character. But we are often judged by only one-half of our character – the image we project . It is no secret that we are characterized by our clothes, our lifestyle, our grades, our rank, our hobbies and even our friends. These qualities are the bases of how the world perceives us.
My fellow graduates, what is important is we know who we are, we know our passion and our gifts and more importantly, we know our purpose in life that God has prepared in advance for us to do.
I encourage you therefore not to fall into the trap of how the world perceives you or wants you to be. You don’t have to isolate yourself but rather insulate yourself from the pressures of the world. We must realize that to succeed, we must first grasp and get hold of our identities and make every effort to build and strengthen our values, attitude and character.
This is a challenge for all of us: if we want to make a difference in this world, start by changing our attitude. To change our life, we must change the way we think because behind everything we do is a thought. Every behavior is motivated by a belief, and every action is prompted by an attitude. Let’s be careful on how we think because our life is shaped by our thoughts.
Before this ceremony ends, I would like to remind you that there is one more important thing that we must do before seeking our real future; let us express our gratitude to all those who have helped us become who we are at this very moment. First and foremost, to our Almighty God, who have given us wisdom, seed of hope, fruit of knowledge and strength through the years because He has a purpose for our lives. Secondly, to our families for their support and undying love. Thirdly, to our teachers who have molded us to be a better person. Finally, to our true and loyal friends who have always been with us through. They have done a lot for us. So let’s make this true friendship bind us together forever!
Once again, welcome. Thank you and congratulations to all of you.
4:18 PM
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