This took me a good amount of thinking to figure out exactly what I should write about in this epilogue. For quite a long amount of time (3 days to be exact...who takes 3 days to think about this kind of stuff and sits here and type hoping that it'll just all work out?), I couldn't decide at what time I wanted it to be set, what I wanted to happen, or what mood I wanted to set. And guess what? As I write this, I decided to just wing it. I winged so many important times in my life (aka almost ALL oral exams, presentations, interviews, and don't even get me started on all the entrance exams I've had to take); so why not this?
So, here it goes. Here's to hoping that this'll turn out decent.
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
As The Waves Crash Down...[The Epilogue]
I walked across the grass courtyard where I proposed the school to hold this event. It was a nice day and I realized that I made the right decision in asking them to hold it out here. The pointy heels of my shoes sank into the soil as I headed toward the faces I would have never expected myself to see all in one place-the faces of all my family and friends.
My parents had reconciled, basically agreeing to disagree when it came to certain topics. As soon as they both became comfortable with that compromise, the whole house seemed to calm down. The raging fights became small, quick and sparse arguments. My sister apologized for blowing up on me over the phone that one time. Apologies seemed to fly everywhere and forgiveness became a concept we all began to truly understand the importance of.
Now I stood before all of them, the smile on my face reflecting my true happiness could be found in all of theirs in that moment. My parents, my sister, Aunt May, and Dan were all there. The graduation gown and cap sat on my body, proclaiming to the whole world what was about to happen.
"Honey, why are you here?" My mom asked.
"I just wanted to say thank you and I love you to all of you before this whole thing begins," I told every single one of them.
"Get up there, Krys," my dad said, both sternly and jokingly.
"Yeah, Dad," I said with a chuckle. "I'll see all of you again when I'm up on that stage."
Making my way back to my seat on the front row, I sat down and waited for the ceremony to begin, excited for what this day meant right now and what it would mean years from now.
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
"I clearly remember graduating from high school and the valedictorian saying repeatedly that that was going to be the beginning of the rest our lives. Of course, everyone that uses that phrase is speaking figuratively, but I like to think that the days that our lives truly begin is different for us all," I began as I spoke to the graduating class of our university and all the important people in our lives.
"For me, I see it as that one point in time when I finally saw living on my own as a better option than living at home. I think the day when you realize that standing on your own two feet is, at last, necessary and preferable than leaning on someone else is the pivotal point in which you truly begin living, for lack of a better term. Independence. When one finally truly understands and lives it's meaning is when, I like to think, we all begin the rest of our lives. When we begin to scrutinize our choices to pick the better one or when we realize that we're abusing what most of take for granted-that's when it all begins. For all of us, that moment could have come and passed or it might yet to happen, but I just want to say that no matter what stage you're in at this time in life, it's time to learn to stand. You may not be ready yet, or you might be desperate for it already, but I want to remind all of you and myself that there is still so much to come. Life can take you places that you've never imagined," I continued. My eyes glanced from my peers, to my family, and to my professors.
"I've learned that no matter what happens, there's always a way to make things better. Never lose hope. I want to wish you all luck wherever you're all planning on heading because we're all going to need it in one way or another," I concluded.
The crowd applauded and I made my way down from the stage. The rest of the ceremony flew by and I found myself immediately seeking my family. I flew into their arms with tears of happiness and pride running down my cheeks.
"We're all proud of you, Krystal," Aunt May told me with a smile.
I was speechless at the moment so I merely nodded in gratitude at her comment.
"I'm glad that I finally get to see a college graduation," she joked as she glanced at her son.
Dan's band happened to have gotten signed to the summer after high school. He then opted out of going to college and, instead, chose to fight for his band's future. Now, four years later, they've already been touring with major bands for a year and a half and plan on holding their own headlining tour next year once their fan base was truly stable and confirmed.
Dan groaned. "You'll be regretting that once we win a Grammy," he remarked.
"Honey, that'll never happen. You'll only get a VMA from MTV, at best," Aunt May said kiddingly.
"Thanks, Mom," Dan said sarcastically.
My parents laughed as everyone else joined in at the fun. This was how I wanted things to stay. Not perfect, but perfectly fine for someone me.
A/N: Didn't that speech suck or didn't it? Blech.
