Promenade: A message for the 9th Graders

Goodafternoon

“It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.”

Thus says Headmaster Albus Dumbledore from one of the most loved books in the history, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and I thought that maybe I could make use of it tonight here in our Juniors and Seniors promenade. Indeed, it takes a great deal of bravery even to stand up right here, right now in front of these lovely people and it takes a great deal of bravery to express how grateful I am to speak in behalf of Grade 9 class whom I consider as my friends and companions growing up as a high school student.

Friends, allow me to take ourselves back to our first few years here in Assumption Academy of Compostela. I know we were really clueless back then during our very first day in school as pre-schoolers or as primary pupils but we remember, it was here where we learned how to read, write, count, draw, color, participate, and play. More importantly, it was here where we learned to pay respect to our teachers, obey the authorities, and cultivate friendships. So vivid in my mind are those times spent with my new-found friends.

Fast-forward to our secondary years. We were growing up fast. We were through with learning how to read and write; we were on to the next level of learning how to cope up with different kinds of challenges that came our way. Each of one of us had a different story to tell. What happened with our lives, our families, our friendships, our grades, our dreams ─ it was, and still is, impossible to answer in unison. We were beginning to learn things the hard way.We were so young and fragile yet we had to face some of the ugly truths in life. But we survived and grateful, still, because we have our friends, teachers, classmates, and lots of pleasant experiences to aid us and make things a little bit easier and lighter, to say the least. We survived and here we are right now, tonight, in celebration of what we call love, because it is love that bind us together and keep us strong amidst all the challenges we’ve been through.

Love is our ultimate glue. Love fixes. Love heals all wounds. Some people say that love destroys, love hurts, and love is impermanent to the point that they become fond of the saying, “#WALANGFOREVER”. For me, it is #MAYFOREVER because that is the philosophy that keeps the world go round. Because love is not just a noun. It is also a verb. It is a constant decision to love when our love is failing, to love even when the world tells us not to. It is not completely dark out there. We still have the light shining upon us because there are still people who choose to love even when it’s hard to do so. We still have people to remind us not to give up on love and once we choose to love, we are victorious in every milestone that we have to go through.

Ultimately, before I end my speech, allow me to challenge everyone to not forget the One who flawlessly showed His love, Jesus Christ. His love is perfect when ours failed. He gave us our families and friends to love even though they are imperfect because He first loved us in our imperfections.

To my fellow  Grade 10 and to the Grade 9 students, let us cherish the friendships that we have now and establish it on truth, loyalty and love. True friends are hard to find but we have to thank God because we have already found each other. Let us ask our God to help us build and nurture our friendship with each other, with our teachers, and with every people around us.

To everyone present here tonight, let us not live, but let us love and live faithfully

That would be all. Enjoy the rest of the night. Thank you and once again, good afternoon.