The Story So Far: A Graduation Speech That Never Was

The class song should have been “The Imperial March”. You know, the one from Star Wars that plays as Darth Vader’s theme? Yeah. That should have been the class song. I mean, don’t get me wrong, Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” is great, but “The Imperial March” fits so much better. If you don’t believe me, let’s look at the lyrics. “Don’t Stop Believing”: Trains and smoky rooms. Well, the trains around here kill people that try to ride them and the only smoky rooms that might have the smell of wine and cheap perfume are the school bathrooms. “The Imperial March”: It doesn’t even have lyrics. Its all about tone. About attitude. It resonates confidence. Confidence in what? I don’t know. Doesn’t matter. I don’t really have a good argument here, I just think it’d have been wicked to walk in to. Or if they played it at prom. No one could dance to it, but we’d all feel cool as we sipped our non-alcoholic pineapple punch.

Since I finished with my introduction, I believe this is where you hear something about spreading your wings, how much you’ve accomplished, helpful tidbits about the real world we hear so much about, and talk about the past four years. It could be a phrase that my mom would say, nodding her head wisely. And so, for my part, there will be no talk of Senior Project, classes we loved, the large number of pregnant teachers, college, alternate proms, or anything of the sort….kind of.

I would give you all advice, but the thing is, I don’t have any answers. I don’t know what the meaning of life is, what we’re supposed to do next. I don’t know if a higher being exists. I don’t know if I ever will. I don’t know what morality really is. I don’t have any idea how this world came to be. I don’t know anything about life. But I don’t want to die still wondering. And so the only thing I can ask of you is that you seek the answers to these questions yourselves.

In English, I did get to do one cool assignment. We had to compose our own Seven Heavenly Virtues. And so I did the Seven Humanly Virtues that I felt were qualities that every human should possess. I composed them with the aim of universal application. I wanted these to fit anyone and everyone, regardless of language, culture or religion. Slightly revised, they are:

Rationality: That one’s actions have valid reasoning and justification behind them, even if others do not agree.

Curiosity: The drive to understand the world and all its mysteries.

Passion: The motivation behind one’s actions, no matter what they may be.

Insight: Having the perceptive ability to withdraw meaning from observations and experiences.

Self-Confidence: That you are able to stand firm for the ideas, answers, and paths you choose

Individuality of Mind: The mental independence to make one’s own path, albeit based upon experience, observation, passion, etc.

Freedom of Way: The overall independence of one’s path. That they make their own way in the world not only in mind, but in practice.

These are traits one needs in order to find not only the answers to all those questions, but traits that will influence every aspect of life itself, no matter if you choose to be a fireman, wander aimlessly, or join a local terrorist sleeper cell. Although, if you ever do discover the answers, please, let me know. So in short, my advice is to use your mind to make life whatever you choose, to find the answers you personally seek the answer to. Then you won’t need advice. Unlike music, which we all need. Be it the other-worldly riffs and piano of Muse or the funky soul of Gnarls Barkley, the bass beats of rap or the slow rhythm of jazz. Or for me, the Irish rockin’ that is Flogging Molly. So, I’ll use music as a metaphor for my theme here. You must make your own kind of music. That’s a song, actually, by Mama Cass Elliot. But its a good way to live.

In the film, The Fountain, which deals with the idea of immortality and accepting death, there is a song and line of dialogue that I and my brothers are fond of: “Death is the road to awe.” We’ve all thought about death. Its something that we sometimes try to ignore or pay it off as if it doesn’t ever enter our minds. That phrase, it captures the notion that death isn’t something to feared, but accepted. Even something that you can look forward to. No one knows what truly happens to a soul or mind when the body dies. And so, the worst thing that can happen is nothing. They say we should live every day like its our last, but that implies that death is something to fear. I think that if you rid yourself of that, you’ll live the rest of your life to its fullest because you have nothing to fear. So, death isn’t the only road to awe. Life, too, is a path towards enlightenment. Life is awe.

I think that the potential for greatness is inherent in many, but that one isn’t fated to walk
any certain path; we still control our own destiny. Once, heroes roamed the world and gods wove the lives of mortals. But we don’t live in some long-lost empire. We live now. And as such, we have to make our mark on a world that suppresses both the masses and the individuals that belong to them. You, my peers, classmates, friends, sisters and brothers, you all are heroes. The giants of old; the Alexanders, the Achilles, the Jarrett McElroys and the Aristotles, even the Napoleons, that was their time. This is our time, and we must be the giants.