Poems From The Heart

A Graduation Speech

There's a lot in high school I thought I would remember
So many days I thought, this will be a time I always look back to.
But now that it's over, I realize I have a lot less memories than I thought I would.
All the little things I hoped to remember and wanted to write down, I can't even recall right now.
I like to think that I remembered the important things, but truth is there are many things that were important that I can't remember.
Why is life like that?
Why do I have pictures I don't remember taking, videos I don't remember recording?
Why is life so fast, and yet I want it to go faster?
We're all so worried about tomorrow that we don't have fun today.
I know that's cliche, but then tell me why so many people are here today?
This is a celebration, a moment that will be recorded differently for each and every one of us, but yet we're all here together.
And we're here because this represents a stepping stone, so that we can go faster and move on in our lives.
It's supposed to be a cherished moment, but it's really a hallmarked moment.
So that we can move on and we'll end up forgetting all tonight's moments too.
Including this speech.
So why should I tell you this? Why should I speak about my high school experience?
And how?
Do I make it relatable to people by saying generic things or talking about the administrators we've all met? Or do I make it personal talk about how it was for me and try to explain why it's important that you know my high school story?
The truth is either way you'll forget, so I'll do neither. My high school experience is only important to me.
Other people have been in it, but how it was for me no one else cares about, except me.
And spouting out facts to get a few chuckles based on things everyone can relate to won't be significant either. So instead I'll say some facts and statistics about what could be my future, or somebody else's who is sitting in here today.
Some of us will go to college,
Some of us will find a job,
And some of us will join the military,
Or many other options because we're not cookie cutters.

For those that choose college it is expensive, and some of us might lose hope halfway through and quit. But that doesn't mean it's the end for us.
Those that quit might work in an office, or own their own company,
Or not work for a while.
The ones that don't quit might end up in a career they hate, but be making good money,
Or they could end up doing something they love. It doesn't matter what path we choose to take,
Because if we don't choose a path other people around will choose their own and we'll end up in a path that wasn't even chosen by us,
It just happened.
What matters is that, even though only a few of us will stay in contact with the people we've known or been friends with over these four years, we make a choice.
Change is scary
And I've spent many nights worrying about changes that I new we're coming and debating on how I would deal with them.
But not choosing, and ending up in a place chosen by the decisions people around you made
Is MUCH worse.
So no matter what you do after tonight,
No matter what path you make.
Make sure you made the decision, not someone else, so that whatever happens
At least it was your choice.