By: Fattiyah Az-Zarah
Auliansyah
To our honorable guest of
honor
and speaker,
Bendito dos Santos Freitas,
from the Ministry of Education, to our Founder and Executive
Director, Martin B. Papay Jr., to our Director for Academic Programs, Charles
Michael B. Papay, school administrators and faculty, parents, fellow graduates,
and to all who are present today, GOOD MORNING!
It seemed only yesterday when we first set foot on M.I.S. ground. We were then
curious, tense and bewildered children. But because of the unsuitable
intention, not only ours, but also of our parents, to study, to acquire more
knowledge we were left with no choice. And, look! Here we are now, in neatly
arranged rows, donning the white caps, ready to face greater magnitude of
challenges, and about to enter a new horizon of life.
In this tender age of
ours, we already knew that life is not the fabled bed of roses, it is difficult
and it is a series of problems. And yet, certainly, it is one of the greatest
truths. But for always, we should be reminded of a passage that, “GRADUATION IS
NOT THE END.IT IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF NEW ENDEAVORS IN LIFE.” We don't stop
going to school when we graduate. However, even how hard it may be, we cannot do
otherwise, but accept it, more so, understand it, by doing so, we can then
transcend to reality and nurture it in much clearer and better perspective,
then life, GOD’S GREATEST GIFT OF LOVE, COULD BE BEAUTIFUL.
Indeed, there will be
moments of trial and difficult, and the road further will be rough and bumpy,
but we should believe that sheer determination, the skill, the knowledge and
the know-how that we’ve learned in the hallowed classroom of Grade 6- Courage
will provide us with the appropriate tolls to overcome all of these travails,
and ultimately make us strong, brave and courageous as we enter into the real
world and all its challenges lying ahead.
As we look back and
reflect on the pieces of our pasts, we can recall the countless times when we
were challenged and threatened, when we had stumbled and failed. There will
always be flashbacks of instances when we were neglected, frowned, laughed-at
and belittled. There were times when we were prevailed by weakness, instead of
mustering the needed courage, times that we were subdued by frustration and anxiety
rather than acquiring strength. AHH... This could be a dark side of life, yet
it still life.
Let
me go back and reminisce about the last three years I have stayed in this
school. I can still vividly remember the first time I set my foot into this ground
as a grade 3 pupil . That was after flag ceremony when I was asked by my
adviser to go in front to be welcomed and recognized. At the age of 10, a young
girl couldn't help but to cry because of being alienated. Nonetheless, as the minute ticked by, I slowly
tamed myself to be candid member of the Maharlikan family. I was so fortunate
that I have crossed this far because I have discovered the pillars of my being
through the wisdom I have learned here in my dear Alma mater.
To you dear Alma Mater, Maharlika International
school, school administration, members of the faculty and all the rest of the
staff, we’d like to extend our sincerest appreciation for having molded us into
knowledgeable, disciplined, compassionate and responsible youth, and gradually
imbued us the proper values needed as we are about to join the mainstream of
the society and unto the next millennium. Thanks to our teachers who transformed us and be what we are today.
They are indeed the agents of transformation, the epitome of knowledge who
willingly gave their utmost service to open our world of wisdom.
To our dear parents, we will offer our heartfelt thanks and gratitude for your
undoubted sacrifices and unwavering patience, for inculcating in us our
ambitious spirits. Let it be that our dreams are your dreams and your dreams
are our dreams. And together we hope that someday, these dreams will cease to
be dreams and become reality. We treasure your
unconditional love and support.
To my fellow graduates, some of us are fortunate and privileged enough to go
straight to high school in the big
metropolis and choose the best school. So, let our goal be
stated here and now, that we must not just stop by merely studying in high school.
Let us endure the true essence of education for it will always be the
guiding light of our lives. Let not our success and accomplishment be measured only by
having luxurious things from our parents. But I urge everyone to look
around and be extra-aware.
Let the knowledge,
talents and capabilities that we acquired and those to be acquired become the
instrument that we could utilize, and that someday the Maharlikan family would
be able to say, and can afford to announce proudly to the world that one or two
of its graduates formulated and provided the resulution to end this country’s
quelling misery.
To this, we seek the
guidance of the Divine Providence, request the prayers of the brothers and
sisters of Maharlika International School and all of us present here today.
This way, we could be one with the Holy Spirit, one in our Maharlikan mission
to this, I say and pray, good luck and God bless.
Thank you once again, Bondia;
and to you my fellow graduates, Congratulations!
