Graduation Message to the graduates

BY: Dr. Rosario J. De Guzman
STA Class '57
School Director, Silay Institute

The Directress-Principal, Siervas de San Jose Sisters, Teachers, proud Parents and other family members of the Graduates, the very important people- the stars, in today's ceremonies, the Graduates, Ladies and Gentlemen.

My warmest congratulations to you all! I share with you the excitement that you feel today. Commencement exercises are always a moment of joy especially for those receiving their diplomas and those who helped them finish their schooling such as the graduates' parents and teachers.

A Commencement Exercise or a Graduation Ceremony is not just a mere celebration but a joyful occasion for thanksgiving. I, too, rejoice with you, dear Graduates, for today, you have successfully completed four rigorous years of secondary education or six years of elementary education.

For several years you have strived to meet the expectations of your parents, your teachers and your classmates. You have worked hard to get where you are now and today you will receive your diploma, which is an acknowledgement of your diligence, studiousness and willingness and ability to learn.

The Lord has been kind to you all these years, for if He were not, you and I would not be here today. We have to repay this kindness in many ways.

Graduation brings additional responsibility on your shoulders because you are expected to give back to your community and your family the knowledge, talents and skills that you have acquired in school. Your graduation is the realization of the dream of your parents for you.

On this, your graduation day, you will end one chapter in your young lives, and embark on a new one. Today is both a triumph and a challenge. Today is your moment to shine.

To the elementary graduates: try to absorb as much of your school experience as possible and learn new things about life. You were taught to stand in line, to raise your hands before speaking, to be polite, to be on time, to follow the golden rule and to get good grades. Let these continue to be your guidepost as you enter the secondary level and as you begin the journey through your teenage years.

To you all, you have learned things not only in academics, but you have also learned to live out the values that STA continues to instill in its students such as honesty, humility, simplicity, kindness, patience, responsibility, generosity, diligence, and the importance of commitment to the poor, prayer, work, respect for the dignity of women, self-discipline and a lot more. The values which you have imbibed during your schooling will help you overcome new and more complex challenges that you will meet in the future.

Fifty years ago, when we were young girls like you, my classmates and I graduated from STA. STA did not look like it does now, except for the main building, the grotto and the school grounds. The concrete structures were fewer in number. We had our own share of happy, glorious days with our teachers, classmates and the school staff. STA was then known for the students' mastery of the English language and a smattering of the Spanish language which we had to understand and learn to speak. We said the rosary in Spanish even while working on our varied projects.

One day, our Spanish teacher asked one of our classmates to use the words "arriba" and "abajo" which mean, "up with" and "down with," respectively. Our classmate quickly answered without much thought and said "Arriba, Filipinas! Abajo, Espana!" It means Up with the Philippines! Down with Spain! Alas, that ,made our Spanish teacher who was a true-blooded Spanish teacher very angry, indeed! She took it as a insult to her person and to her country.

What lesson did this teach us young girts? Think twice before we speak lest we insult, hurt other people's feelings. We also realized the importance of the quotation, "Look before you leap."

Let me relate to you some very short stories which dwell on values I earlier mentioned.

Every year, a harvest festival in a little village in France, is held, wherein all families are expected to contribute 5 liters of wine to be poured into the community wine barrel from which they would drink. On the day of the festival, the mayor opened the barrel and passed around the wine for a great toast. To everyone's surprise, the wine barrel contained, not wine, but only water! It turned out that each family saved its wine at home and poured water into the barrel thinking that a little water they poured in would not be noticed. But alas, all the families thought of the same thing. They poured in water instead of wine!

What did all these people do? They did not practice "Honesty is the best policy." They thought they could fool the others. In life, we must be honest in all things, big or small, and whether there are people looking at us or not. Just when we think that nobody is there, remember that Jesus is!

Another story was told that there was once a man who had nothing to eat and was given 10 apples by God. The 1 sl 3 apples to be eaten by him, the 2 nd Sapples to be traded for shelter and the 3 rd 3 apples to be traded for clothing to wear. The 10" apple to be given back to God, to show his gratitude for the 9 other apples.

This man ate the 1 sl 3 apples; traded the 2 nd 3 apples for shelter from sun and rain, and traded the 3 rd apples for clothing for him to wear. Then, he looked at the 10* apple to returned out of gratitude but he thought to himself that God has many more apples, anyway, and guess what, he succumbed to temptation and ate the apple leaving only the core, which he gave back to God.

To relate this to our young lives, wherein you received the apples or your education from your parents, you have to reciprocate their generosity. Show gratefulness to them for all the love, support and care they have showered on you, for making you the person you are today, and most importantly, for sending you to school, to a very good one, your and my school, STA.

After many years, a family from Scotland had saved enough money to go to the United States. They already had their passports and reservations on a new liner. It was a dream come true for them. However, 7 days before their departure, a dog bit the youngest son. Because of the possibility of rabies, they were quarantined for 14 days. The father was so disappointed and angered by the turn of events that he cursed both his son and God. Five days after the ship left port, they received tragic news. The Titanic - the ship they were supposed to board - had sunk.

What does this story tell us? We may not always understand the Lord's wisdom behind every event but all things happen for a reason. His ways are always good although these may not always be clear to us, or happen in the way that we hope for and expect. When we put our confidence and faith in God, He will work wonders beyond what we could ever dream of. Who knows? What we may consider as a tragedy today might turn out to be a blessing after all, as this story has shown.

Lastly, I would like to share "The Pencil Parable" with you. In the beginning, there was a Pencil Maker who spoke to a Pencil, saying,

"There are 5 things you need to know before I send you out into the world.

Always remember them and you will become the best pencil you can be.

First: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you will allow yourself to be held in Someone's hand.

Second: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time but this is required if you are to become a better pencil.

Third: You have the ability to correct any mistake you might make. Fourth: The most important part of you will always be on what is inside.

Fifth: No matter what the conditions are, you must continue to write. You must always leave a clear, legible mark no matter how difficult the situation.

The pencil understood, promising to remember these and went into the box understanding its Maker's purpose Now, consider yourself as the pencil, remember these 5 conditions and you will become the best persons you can be.

First, you will be able to do many things but only you will allow yourself to be held in God's hand. Allow other persons to access you for the many gifts that you possess.

Second: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time by going through various problems but will help you to become stronger persons.

Third: You will be able to correct mistakes you might make or grow through them.

Fourth: The most important part of you will always be what's on inside.

Fifth: On every surface you walk, you must leave your mark. No matter what the situation, you must continue to serve God in everything.

Everyone of us like the pencil was created by God for a unique and special purpose. By understanding and remembering these, let us continue with our life having a meaningful purpose in our hearts and a relationship to God daily.

You were made to do great things or to do ordinary things in an extraordinary way.

So my dear Graduates, SOAR HIGH THE NAZARETH WAY! SOAR HIGHTHERESIANS!

Again, Congratulations and may God bless you all!