The Valedictory Address

As I was trying to find some files that I need from my external drive, I stumbled upon my daughter’s valedictory address. I ignored it and continue to look for the files I need. Besides, I have fallen out with my daughter as a result of her wrong priorities. But strangely enough, it seems that someone is whispering behind my ears to open my daughter’s valedictory address.

I might have opened it unconsciously and began reading.

As I was progressing to read her valedictory address, my thoughts are all coming back to me when she told me the good news of topping her class, just like a flashbacks from the movie. I remember how happy and proud we were. My wife and I started to build dreams of her growing up pursuing her own dreams and attaining all the success in her life.

Halfway through her valedictory address, my flashbacks of great dreams for my daughter seem to become vague, hazy and sketchy. As I continue, I began to realize that her valedictory address is becoming more and more an irony from reality.

What went wrong? I asked myself over and over and over….

Jae’s Valedictory Address.

Our beloved principal, Our Guest of Honor, dear guests, Parents, Teachers, Friends, and fellow Graduates, good evening.

Before I begin, I would like to thank the many, many people who have invested their time and energy into me over the years of my life. Without their assistance and nurturing spirits, I doubt that I’d be behind this podium delivering this speech today.

Tonight we have gathered to honor the labor and love of these teachers, and the dedication of our supporters; to recollect on the year with smiles and laughter, and finally, to say goodbye at this conclusion of a school year.

It is a privilege for me to speak on behalf of the class of 2006. I consider myself very fortunate to be part of such an exceptional group of people, a group that came together in June 2000, nervous and excited about entering those 'big doors' representing new challenges, and providing us with lasting friendships and memories.

It has been several weeks since I first learned that I would have the honor of speaking here tonight. After the initial euphoric rush of joy and gratitude, only one emotion remained: Panic. This is not the fear of speaking in front of a crowd. No, the root of this panic is far more sinister; I began to realize that NOW is the time for one last look around our beautiful campus before we march out from her ever-welcoming Gate.

As we step out from the gate of our alma matter, a new chapter unfolds before us, just like a book. The only difference is, our very lives are the epic tales inscribed in every page of the “book of life” we are about to author.

Tonight we will turn the final page of the introduction to the stories of our lives, but the tales are far from finished. The characters and individuals that we’ve written into being, will continue to live and will fill the remainder of our pages in the collective book of life with the intricacies and complexities of a ripened reality.

Strong individuals will lead the fights, win the wars, make the money, cure the diseases, and write the stories while the weaker ones will blindly follow. Fill our pages with wonderful deeds and accomplishments, so that others may follow us. Even the most seemingly insignificant act, if it improves the life of another human being, is worth performing for it can only affect our future for the better.

There is no way to tell what the future holds in store for us. We cannot examine the pages of the days to come, but we can read the pages of the days that are here. Some chapters are fascinating, dramatic, or even mildly amusing; some are heartbreaking, sad, and disappointing to read. Some chapters are long winded, while others are extremely short. When a writer fails to finish his or her story, there is always a new one waiting to fill the void.

The book of life continues to expand, with ink flowing ever onward, filling page after page with the stories of all who ever lived and touch our lives. It contains no appendices, so there is no place for special mentions, corrections, additions, or clarifications. We have only one chance to set pen to paper, and make our contributions to the book that we all share.

The future is but ink in the pen; it is our duty, the writer, to decide how the strokes will fall upon the pages of our story, and what structure the final tale will take.

Now that our time together is winding down, it seems too simple, too trite to say "I will miss you." When we were all flooded with endless successions of papers during our finals, I knew April 5th would be a day of joy, a culmination long anticipated. Yes, I knew this day would be a day of great relief and satisfaction. But as many times as the words "April 6th" have crept into my mind, I have rejected them, hoping to find some happier thought to hold back the tears from the corners of my eyes. Yes, I will miss you, because I have grown to know the friendship that we share. Tomorrow, April 6th, we will hurt. Next week, we will still hurt. But over the coming months, that ache of absence will transform into the peaceful, deep certitude. We never knew whether we would see our classmates again, but we could pray that by God's will, the way would be opened for us to come together.

To all of us who now leave at the conclusion of this year, the most wonderful year in my whole life, to my friends...thank you.

I would like to thank particularly those people who have made our memories here most worthwhile: all the parents and relatives who have put forth support and sacrifices for our six years' endeavors, the teachers who inspire us and forced us to go on when we’re about to quit and who have invested much time and effort to guide and shape us into the person we are today, and will become, our class advisers who are untiringly guiding us in our journey and the school administration for its constant leadership. And finally, I would personally like to thank my class, for despite many difficulties we might have encountered, individually or collectively, you all managed to make me feel like I was part of something great.

Thank you and farewell.