It was Graduation Day, exactly a month after Dalton died. I had hoped long ago that Dalton and I would be in that stage together. He remained as the Valedictorian and I as the Salutatorian. I would read his Graduation Speech instead. There was a tribute dedicated to him. All students sang as the music played.
Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes
Five hundred twenty five thousand moments so dear
Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes
How do you measure, measure a year?
In daylights, in sunsets
In midnights, in cups of coffee
In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife
In five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes
How do you measure, a year in the life?
How about love?
How about love?
How about love?
Measure in love
Seasons of love (love)
Seasons of love (love)
Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes
Five hundred twenty five thousand journeys to plan
Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes
How do you measure the life of a woman or a man?
In truths that she learned
Or in times that he cried
In bridges he burned or the way that she died
It's time now, to sing out
Though the story never ends
Let's celebrate
Remember a year in the life of friends
Remember the love
(Oh, you got to, you got to remember the love)
Remember the love
(You know that love is a gift from up above)
Remember the love
(Share love, give love, spread love)
Measure in love
(Measure, measure your life in love)
Seasons of love
Seasons of love
(Measure your life, measure your life in love)
There was a momentary silence. Then the graduates were announced, I accepted Dalton’s award on his behalf. “The Graduation Speech of Mr. Andrejvic will be delivered by Ms. Rumenoff.”
So I stood up and as I read the blood stained speech of Dalton, I can’t help myself from crying.
“A good day to you fellow graduates, how lucky I am to be delivering this to you. The four years of High School’s pain is done. I wish we can all live to see this day. Forgive me too for letting you hear odd words but at least these are genuine. Let me start it in congratulating all of us. High School is a four-year journey of a student here he builds a personality, he becomes stronger and here he gains a greater understanding of life. Pietro once told me that we must strive to find our own voices and if we won’t no no one else can do it for us. Carpe Diem! Seize the day! Let no day pass that you didn’t place your fullest endeavor to everything you do. Live life as if it is your last day on this world, dead is inevitable. I am not telling you that you wil die now but who knows. What I am telling you is waste no second in pressing on a corner, rise and do what you really want. That is Carpe Diem, not merely seizing the day but making a day able to be seized for greater causes and purposes.” I quoted. “It ended there, Dalton’s right. Thoreau once said that most men led lives of quiet desperation. We believe that we must not be resigned to that.”
Then the students stood and gave Dalton a round of applause. The Graduation was solemn. After it, the remnants of Carpe Diem went to Dalton’s grave. There I placed the medals he earned. I talked to him.
“I am in love with you Dalton.” I said. “I am sorry for not letting you feel it. Perhaps I falied to abide by Carpe Diem.”
“No. You didn’t.” Kaitlyn replied.
“She’s right Vine, you didn’t.” Wayne added.
“Before he died, I can feel that he knew what he wanted to know. He knew that you loved him, he’s contented to hear that at least. You must live on to honour his memory.” Pietro explained.
Daltonm the man who ever loved me, the man who died for me, he would be remembered. His story should not face oblivion, as long as I live to tell it. He and I had something, for at least a time in our lives. No one could ever take it away. I never got tired of sparing a thought for him. Here in my heart, in my mind and in my soul he would always remain. He never got tired of loving me, even though I was already pushing him away. I only told him I loved him before he passed away. Carpe Diem, it was his story. Memories were all that was left— memories filled with stories.
“Okay, Dalton?” I asked him as I looked upon the sky.
YOU ARE READING
Carpe Diem #Wattys2014
RomanceThe ache of heart break drawn upon us is a beheading of our hopes, aspirations, dreams and all we hold dear. It is a bower when all of the walls of life seem to shrink and all that we have spoken in the dark seem to fade. Yet we have to be in the da...
