Madeline Maher
Before we begin, we would like to thank everyone for being here and sharing in this special occasion. We would like to especially thank our teachers, who we know at times have been less than enthusiastic about our class, for sticking with us to the end. We would also like to thank our families for the constant support they have given us these past four years. We couldn’t have done it without any of you.
Today is about endings, but endings, by their very nature, are also beginnings. And when we open any new chapter in life, we inevitably find ourselves in difficult situations. We have all faced stress and adversity the past four years, either in our personal lives, like Sam and myself, or as a group, as the class of 2016. With college being our next chapter, all of us will be faced with new challenges and pulled outside of our comfort zones. We may even get to a point where we want to quit or give up. But, as with any challenge or seemingly impossible situation, it is important to remember that it is not the challenge that defines you, but how you recover when you are at your lowest point. This is when you discover how strong you truly are. Right now we are about to walk across this stage, marking one of the biggest transitions of our life. Take the opportunity to enjoy the moment and experience every last bit of it, just as you should with any moment, no matter how big or small, how amazing or terrible, how sad or scary. Because every moment, significant or not, forms who you are. Especially moments like this one right now, ones that mark an ending, but also lead to a new beginning.
Sam Myers
There is an old proverb that goes, “Remember, everything will be alright in the end, if it’s not alright, then it’s not the end.” Now, most of you are probably thinking the same thing I did when I first heard this, “well that’s obviously wrong,” but I think there is a deeper meaning that is much more relatable to us here today. We, as humans, have a remarkable ability to find a positive in any situation, no matter how terrible. This innate ability allows us to locate silver linings in all experiences, even difficult ones, and find strength, find courage, and find even joy in adversity. And it is because of this, that we are able, should we be willing, to turn even the most horrible struggles or demanding challenges
into something wonderful. This can be done by experiencing and soaking in every moment, in order that we don’t miss a single blessing hidden within it. And even if you are sure that there is absolutely no good that can come from your struggle, take it from two people who have struggled, it always can, and often in ways you wouldn’t even imagine.
So this is my advice, our advice, to all of you. When you find yourself struggling, when you find yourself beaten down and without hope, take in the moment, learn from it, and squeeze every last drop of good you can from it. And if you do this, if you never back down, if you always let yourself learn and grow from every experience, you can rest comfortably knowing that “everything will be alright in the end, and if its not alright, then its not the end.”
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