Tribute to Parents

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