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Valedictorian Speech
Valedictory means bidding goodbye or saying farewell, and in a way that is also what graduation means. And although this may seem like an ending, the reality of graduating is that it is also a new start. Graduation is one of the few times in life where one must say "goodbye" and "hello" simultaneously, and it can be scary, confusing, and exciting all at once. This moment is bittersweet for everyone who has ever gone through it before, and for us who are going through it now. It is a melancholy time in the "goodbye" sense of the moment. We must now leave the nest in which we have grown so comfortable and safe, saying farewell to the only people we have ever known-- our parents, our siblings, our friends, and our town. But I cannot say goodbye without being thankful for the eighteen years I have lived in LaGrange, and grown so comfortable at Highland Pointe Drive. I cannot help but show my gratitude to those who have had a part in creating this girl who is getting ready to spread her wings. To my parents, who have put forth so much time, money, and effort into giving me an excellent education, thank you for the energy you put into me as your third homeschooled child and youngest daughter. You have both taught me so much intellectually, but you have given me the foundation I need to obtain good character and to become a godly young woman. To Ragan and Spencer, thank you for all of the years you have made me laugh and cry; for the memories that I will always keep in my heart, and all the lessons learned and the examples given for me to look up to and the ones that show me what not to do. Thank you to the three most important girls in my life, you help create the four musketeers, and have always been there for me in any and every situation in life thus far, and I hope and pray you all continue by my side for the rest of my life. And since I am going to be the first Baptist nun, I have found my soul mate in you three girls, and will forever cherish my friendships with ya'll. Thank you also, to my dance teachers- all of you. Thank you especially Mrs. Amy, Mrs. Nancy, Mrs. Karen, and Mrs. Miriam, for the years and time you put into encouraging my love for ballet. And to all the children I have babysat or taught in dance, thank you for helping me continue to act like a seven year-old, I think I have had more fun than any of you have, especially if I have ever blown bubbles or played on a playground with you.
The sad parts are the thank-you's and goodbyes, however now comes the exciting, kind of scary part: the hello's. As I head off to Mississippi, it feels as though everyone I know is going in a different direction. I know that all the people I have mentioned, and others, have prepared me well for the step which I am about to take into my future which God has perfectly planned for me. I have saved the most important thank-you for last: Thank you God, for this beautiful life have you blessed me with. Thank you for the incredible, godly people you have surrounded me with, thank you for the ability to walk and dance for Your glory. Thank you for the cross and for salvation, as well as for Your grace and mercy and patience toward me. I deserve none of these things, and yet You have given them to me, and so I pray that I give everything I have back to You. I want to close with one of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite bears: Winnie the Pooh. This sums up everything I want to say to all of my family, friends, and others who have helped me along my way thus far.
"If there is ever a tomorrow when we're not together, there is something you must always remember: you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think, but the most important thing is, even if we're apart, I will always be with you."
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