Hello to you all in your post-high school days. Hope that is a good feeling for you all...it should be. Sorry it took me a while to post this, but I wanted to thank you all again for your work this year, and mostly your consideration and patience. I wrote this speech in Room 412 of Little Company of Mary Hospital at my dad's bedside. I cannot take credit for this speech, though, on my own. I was sitting in a chair, exhausted because of the emotional circumstances, and because it was the end of the school year. I wasn't even sure if I'd be delivering this speech at all because everything at that point was day-by-day. But God was with me and so writing the speech actually became very easy for me. At times it felt like I was observing myself writing it. I know that all of us do not share the same faith and all of us aren't believers, but this is for everyone. I feel blessed that I have always been a believer myself, but I know I haven't always acted like one and have made numerous mistakes along the way and still do. I do not want this speech to come off as holier-than-thou, because that none of us are. Believe me, over the course of the year I was humbled many times by your works that encouraged and inspired me to be a better person, and a better Christian. I thank you for that. I miss you and love all of you. So you know, FB only lets you tag a limited number of people on these...feel free to share with anyone I missed. Yes, there are some critical comments in here and could be interpreted as inflammatory. Oh well...I tried my best to speak truth with the knowledge given to me. Thanks again, and God Bless...
Just a quick announcement before we begin here—students who didn’t get their chords for the OTC (Outdated Technology Club), see me after the festivities. Yeah, this is an Ethernet cable, I think…Just be happy I didn’t go with my original idea to make a vocal chords joke because that involved me wearing someone’s larynx around my neck.
At the end of Joseph Heller’s Catch-22, protagonist Captain John Yossarian is faced with a dilemma—he is being taken advantage of and lied to, as are all of his colleagues, so he refuses to be part of a corrupt system anymore. The dilemma lies in his refusal…soon he will be court martialed if he refuses to do what his superiors ask him to. But his bosses give him an option, because his staunch refusal is giving them a bad name—they offer to let him become part of the leadership, kind of an offer to become part of the Good Ol’ Boys Club. So rather than get court martialed he takes the easy way out. Until…right away his conscience starts attacking him, relentlessly.
But Yossarian is lucky to still have that conscience—the same one you have that you could lose someday if you decide to sell out your friends, family, self, or soul—your faith, in pursuit of the easy way out. Because he can’t escape his relentless conscience, Yossarian decides at the end of the novel there must be another option. And he finds there is—he decides to leave the system entirely. And when someone questions him thinking that he is running away from his responsibilities, he says, “No, I am running to them.” At the same time, his friend, the group chaplain, who is also being taken advantage and lied to, decides he is going to stay and fight the system and those who are corrupting it. The next chance he gets he is going to punch his boss square in the nose.
But both characters had to be tested—internally, externally, and they were better off for it. Both had to reach low points in their lives, and they were better off for it. They weren’t your prototypical action heroes, but heroes nonetheless…
Listen…as this applies to you…as this applies to you? You will not lead a satisfying life unless you are tested. Your conscience will be tested. Some of you already have been tested, some are being tested right now. Some have already passed their tests, and will be tested again. Some of you, right now, might have unfinished business. You’ve been thinking about it—that relationship you need to repair, people you need to say thank you to (perhaps sitting in the audience, for you, right now), but perhaps you are too stubborn to do so. Get over it…
Because you should remember that in January you were tested when we lost our beloved classmate, Sean Heffernan, who is now with his creator, taking pictures of dazzling sunsets--images with new colors we can’t even fathom. You saw how he pursued his relationships and his hobbies, he squeezed more into his 17+ years than most do in an average life span. Through him, you learned what life was truly about, because you saw it’s physical end. Perhaps sometimes that is the only way we can see—but it should not come to that point. Do not let our friend and our memories of him and what we learned during a time in which we were all tested die in vain.
(And I may add, Brendan Heffernan, your leadership, strength, and faith during this time was and still is an inspiration to me)
Remember that you were a community that loved, that forgave, and that came together. You were a community that supported, acted quickly, and ran to your responsibilities…you were a community.
Remember this, too, when you are doing good things for your community, for humanity, for others—keep doing them. And you WILL receive opposition. Where there is good there will always be opposition stemming from jealousy, greed, lethargy, apathy, and ignorance…
Maybe you are Yossarian…maybe someday you will be in a position where your every move is studied, and no one will act until you do. Maybe you are a young principal who leads his or her school to high achievement, but you are not satisfied with the status quo, and so you, chased by your conscience, keep striving for greatness. People will doubt you, they might accuse you of things you didn’t do, and they will try to stop your progress…this is to be expected, but you must keep going. Eventually, there will be someone who embraces your heart and your work ethic and you willingness to put people first—find that employer, that spouse, that friend. Good attracts evil, but it also infects more good. And there is more good, so don’t stop looking for it.
But maybe you are not Yossarian, and you are the Chaplain…maybe your name is Lauren Swerdloff and through your good heart and your works you are helping to educate the neglected of society. Remember that you have already been recognized for your greatness, so when the “experts” of the world are telling you you are wrong, keep doing what you are doing. A couple “experts” with a biased agenda are no match against your conscience. If you march intrepidly during the day, you will sleep soundly at nigh,, but only if you do not give up your fight.
I would imagine for all of us there is a voice that tells us to give up the fight…do not listen to it, do not fail that test. I would imagine there was some of that with our football team this year when they started off 0-3. But then you guys captivated us by winning CIF. I’m sure everyone had written you off at that point, with your short QB, Brian Scott. Geez, I remember having him in my freshmen class thinking, “He’s a QB?”
Ryland Driebelbiss—You were too skinny to be a successful athlete, right?
Shayna Cooperman—No way could someone like you win Most Inspirational Athlete of the Year.
Palos Verdes HS as a whole—No way could you be as good as the other school. You’ll always be little brother.
Lies, oh yes, you will be surrounded by lies, but don’t believe the hype. You have opportunity in front of you, and you have support. Never give into deceitful ways.
Do not gossip, do not attack over the Internet, do not promote yourself in a destructive way.
Do not brag, anymore, about destructive things such as missing class—you are telling others you are giving up on your education. And if you find friends who are doing such things, be a good friend and kindly tell them to cease. But in the process, remind yourself that you, too, have done such things.
Be grateful for where you are and what you have, reminding yourself how quickly so much could be taken away from you.
Let me remind you that horrible things will happen to great people (that is not karma)…you already know this. Do not buy into the idea of fairness or justice as we define it…rather, buy into what Imaculee told you at the assembly in the fall…and I thank you, Ellie and Kristina, for helping to remind me, remind us, about one of the greatest qualities of the human spirit and a major component of love—forgiveness. As Imaculee told us—when it comes down to doing what is “right” vs. what is kind—choose kind, always. Be satisfied with that.
And again, remember, kindness is going to have opposition. Be kind anyway. Good will triumph…
But if you find yourself in a situation where good is losing, ask yourself if you are in the right place. There may come a time when you have to be like Yossarian, leave, and continue your ethical life elsewhere—maybe someday you will come back, and attack from the outside. Or maybe you will be the Chaplain, and fight from within. Whatever you choose, be willing to live with your decision, but more importantly, be willing to die with that decision. We are missing conviction right now. We are suffocated by political correctness, worrying that every single decision we make is going to offend someone. And so we are afraid to speak our minds. If our minds are in a good place, a good moral and educated place, we should have no fear of speaking them.
Also, remember how fortunate you are to have a sound mind that you can put a voice to. Feel fortunate to have options…options to continue your education, work, help others…you have a moral compass, your driving faith—do not lose that.
Help those who have lost theirs, help those who have had theirs taken away.
Do not forget about the less fortunate because at times you have been the less fortunate, or you will.
Do not forsake a friend in need.
Remember, you have four days left here…do not screw it up. You have four days left to apologize or to forgive someone. People here might not ever see you again and they may take the darkness between you with them…you would hate to have your last memory of someone be that trivial grudge, only to find out you would never be able to talk to that person again.
Also, while we have time, let us thank our great principal, Dr. Stephany for his eight years of service to our community. I will miss you as my leader, especially because I knew, when needed, I could look to you as a friend. I know my colleagues feel the same way. We are blessed to have had a principal who put the kids first, who made team decisions, who in the end stuck to his convictions. Thank you, sir, for being such a wonderful leader.
Lastly, congratulations to you guys for a great four years. Thank you for your smiles, your laughs, you tests of our character…thank you for your energy and giving me confidence in the future. Do not forget your education, do not forget your convictions nor your resolve.
Now, I’m going to turn it over to Dr. Stephany who will be recognizing the valedictorians…there they are.
Thank you, and God Bless…
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