This tribute was written by my sister Louise Jen Maxey, this was also her speech during her college graduation. This receives positive reviews from her instructors and school head and owner.
Today
is here, a day that highlights another milestone in our lives, which recognizes
our achievements made through hard work, firmness, determination and
sacrifices.
The
day has come, a day where both joyful and cheerless moments are reckoned –
moments and experiences that, I believe, are very important and play
significant role of my becoming a versatile and competent graduate.
Looking
closely to the significance of this very moment’s affair, it tells us that
today, is not just a day where we rejoice for the triumph that we have but most
importantly a day of thanksgiving, a time of giving tribute to the people
behind this success – our parents and guardians.
Giving
tribute, honor and gratitude to our parents…
At
first I was hesitant about the speech though inside of me I really wanted to. I
was hesitant because I find it hard to express tribute and homage to our dear
parents in behalf of the graduates. I could not find appropriate words in
expressing gratitude to them because in the first place no such thing can
compare the value and significance of our parents.
I
could still vividly recall the moment my parents weren’t able to sleep thinking
of how they could find money for my projects and other school requirements.
There I felt that the pain brought by the trials and struggles that I had
encountered as a student is not enough to compare knowing that my parents too
feel not just the same feeling but twice and even thrice the pain I felt.
I believe that if given a chance,
each and every graduate here has a story to tell of how sacrifices upon
sacrifices were borne by their parents to let them reach the pinnacle of their
student activities. At last, the pain, the agony, the sufferings, the
painstaking labour, the sleepless nights are now rewarded by this event. To you
dear parents, I am very proud to give you this tribute.
Allow me to personalize this tribute. As
I do, parents, think that it is your son, your daughter who is giving this
speech and is being spoken directly to you. To my classmates, I wish that you
too will find this speech to be expressing your own feelings.
On
this occasion, the students who are here should take pride in their
achievements, as should their parents. The number of adults present this
afternoon attests to parents’ involvement in their children’s’ education. We
all know how instrumental our parents have been in our academic development. By
teaching us to value education and by encouraging us to stick to it even when
things get tough, our parents have given us a foundation to be good students.
If we have learned from them to appreciate being challenged and seeing the
results of our effort and dedication, then we will surely be successful in
school and in many other areas of our lives.
Here
is where we see the most crucial responsibility of parents: to let their
teenagers know that they are worth more than their WPA (Weighted Percentage
Average). To encourage them to grow as young adults. To allow them to make
their own choices and to support them in their decisions. To emphasize the
importance of learning for the sake of learning rather than worrying about
getting the A. The measure of our success is not printed on a report card; it
is printed on our character, our work ethic, and our willingness to take risks
on our path to self-discovery.
It
is not to say that parents should stop encouraging their children to do well in
school; only that parents should also remind us of the big picture. Our parents
help us gain confidence in ourselves by encouraging us to try new things and
pursue our interests’ even if it means failure at first. The most important
thing our parents do is to love us for who we are, not what grades we earn. For
this continuous, unconditional love and support.
Thinking
back on of all of the times we have let you down, it would be no surprise if we
were at this service alone, yet, you are still here – shedding tears as we take
this next step in our life, encouraging us to excel and move forward.
It is because of God’s grace
working through you, though, that we are here. Your sacrifices, faithful
prayers, and patience gave us stepping stones to reach our goals. When we made
wrong turns and bad decisions, you were right beside us, lifting up our heads,
and lending a shoulder to cry on, if need be. You saw us as who we were to
become and did not limit it us to just what could be seen on the outside.
You have invested in us –
financially, emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually – in every way
that one can pour themselves into another person, you have devoted yourself to
us. You knew from the start that we would not be able to return in the same
measure the love that you have for us, yet your compassion for us still runs
deep, surpassing time, age, and wrongdoings.
Thank you for guiding, training
and shaping us in the way that we should go. Your seeds of encouragement have
been planted and have already begun to grow. Thank you for your consistent
faithfulness to us. You have been key players in our revelation of the love of
our heavenly Father. Through you, He has given us a taste of His love for us.
And through us, He has shown you a fraction of His remarkable love for you. In
everything He does, He has a plan and His purposes never fail.
As we close this door and open
another, we want to thank you for your sacrifices, discipline, and love. These
success is a symbol of our gratitude and love for you. Your prayers and
presence in our lives have changed us.
To both of my dear parents: “Tay, Nay, thank you
for all the attention, the understanding, the patience, the encouragement, the
moral and financial support, and most of all the LOVE you both have showered on
me. Without the two of you, I won’t be me! I praise God for making me your
daughter. I praise God for making the two of you my parents!”
To the graduating students: If we are
congratulating ourselves because of a job well done in school, then we have to
congratulate our parents for giving their best in nurturing us. Accolade and
praises must be heaped upon their feet for their patience, understanding,
attention, care, trust and love. We praise God for having you as our parents.
You have done your best is making us what we are now! As we go out to the world
to find what the future holds for us, we would like to say that the time and
the effort that you have spent with us will always be cherished, remembered,
and the love that you have shared with us will always be nurtured! Thank you
for loving us. May the love you have shared with us will keep on burning in our
hearts.
Graduating students: Please rise and join me in
saying: “Congratulations Dear Parents!. May the Love you shared with us lives
forever. We love you so much! Thank you and GODBLESS!!
SUNSHINE J
