jace

June: The Next Chapter

Dr. Searly,

This is my speech for graduation tomorrow morning. I know this is late notice but I was hoping you could read it over for me. I'll be speaking in front of hundreds of people and I really don't want to mess up or break down and the best way to prevent that is to be prepared, please help me to be prepared.

Thank you in advance,

Jace

My name is Jace Carter Overton, I'm 18 years old and I had the second highest GPA in our class. I was told that an introduction isn't necessary because I was already introduced-thank you again Principal Duvall-but I think it is necessary. This is because most things aren't embedded in our brains the first time they're said and because most of you don't know me at all. Some of you probably remember me fleetingly as the kid with the broken nose, while most of you don't know that we've attended the same school since kindergarten. And that's okay, that's why I introduced myself.

I'm supposed to talk about the high school journey and how it isn't as bad as many people claim it to be and things like that, but I had a very different high school experience than many of you. We probably don't visualize the same things when we look back at our high school journeys.

Sometimes high school seemed like a terrible place that I just couldn't escape no matter how hard I tried. Other times it seemed like the only thing standing between myself and my demons, the only thing keeping me sane. Either way, high school encompassed four of the most important years in my life. This is because of what I've learned.

Not only have I mastered subjects like Chemistry and Calculus but I've learned valuable life lessons that were not apparent to me years ago. During those phenomenal four years my parents divorced after being married nearly twenty years and I know that it was for the best. My sister got engaged and now I truly know what the phrase "other half" means. I gained friends and I lost friends. I learned things that could only be learned through experience.

I learned that change is not always bad, it's something that's necessary for human survival. It's something that's very much shaped the way that we live and view the world.

The one thing that I retained the most-and I hope you remember this-is that things often work themselves out, trying to force solutions will only create problems. There's a phrase, "go with the flow." A lot of times it's hard to sit back and let the cards fall where they may, but a lot of times this is the best option. Nature-or God, or fate, or whatever you believe in-may have a different plan. Don't let the odds conquer you, allow them to point you in the right direction. Take this thought with you as you go out into the real world and create a life beyond this school. As you discover your passions and become the person that you want to be.

Thank you.

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Thank you all so much for reading (especially if you've been around since I started posting this junk). Thank you for being patient with me, even when I didn't update for months at a time. Thank you all for commenting and voting and recommending this story to your friends. I never imagined that something I wrote could achieve what this story has achieved. It may not seem like much to other people, but it's a big deal for me. This is only the first draft, I will definitely rewrite this story sometime in the future.

For now, I'm working on Hall & Oates (which you can find on my profile, I'll link it below). It's a story about two best friends and a high school band and family issues and stuff. It would really mean a lot to me if you could check it out.

Feel free to contact me with any questions or anything.

Thank you again guys,

Jane