Vlog #39
I gave a speech at Arcadia High School's Baccalaureate on June 6, 2011. The text of my speech is copied below:
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"Summoning Success"
On Tuesday, September 4, 2007, we officially joined the Arcadia High School community. It was a bit scary but we were full of hope. And why not? Stocks were up, opportunities were endless, and our futures beckoned brightly.
But then came our sophomore year, and with it, economic downturn. The celebratory tone of our community and country darkened in a way that nobody could predict, and we learned a hard yet necessary lesson that plans did not always play out as expected.
As we grew and matured over the past four years, we were compelled to meet challenges that we had never faced before, responsibilities that we did not anticipate, problems with no clear solution. But despite all the difficulties we faced, we made it through. And here we are today, sitting with pride, relishing in achievement, and moving forward in a celebration of resilience.
So tonight, let's focus on the importance of this critical characteristic of resilience that gives us the spirit to struggle and the heart to hope.
My mom likes to say that a diamond will always shine, regardless of whether it is found in a jewelry store, or in the dirt. The resiliency of a diamond's timeless sheen offers an important lesson for us all. We, too, must place faith and importance in the resiliency of the best characteristics within ourselves to help us weather the challenges ahead. That resilience may well be one key that unlocks future doors.
One compelling aspect of resilience is that we have the capacity and power to call it up and find it within ourselves. Emerson put it best when he wrote, "What lies behind you and what lies in front of you pales in comparison to what lies inside of you." Resilience comes from within; it is not granted by awards, money, or external recognition of achievement. I'm thinking of a story Newark Mayor Cory Booker shared with me just five days ago about his experience after graduating from Yale Law School when he decided to forgo high paying jobs at prestigious law firms to move into the projects of his city. He witnessed murders on his block, saw lives ruined by drugs and poverty, and people, who in spite of desperation, summoned up a personal resilience to succeed. One story stands out in his mind: a terminally-ill woman, came up to Mayor Booker after being evicted from her apartment and asked if she could spend the last weeks of her life helping him help others. Three days later, she passed away but not before neighbors reported that they had never seen her that happy before. Her story, and many others, in turn, inspired him to do the same, to call up his own resilience, and to make life better for his community.
There's another means to unlocking resilience: being in touch with and committed to something greater. I'm thinking of a couple who left places of privilege in one land to move to the United States (where privilege is not granted, but must be earned). Starting with $530 in their pockets, the days, weeks, months, and years were fraught contending with the widest range of challenge and minimal material resources to meet those tests. For them, pizza was the most expensive meal of the year and a wedding reception was beyond affordability. But the glimpse of a freer life for them and a better one for their children triggered an upsurge and continuation of a remarkable story of resilience which ultimately resulted in triumph. That couple, my parents, recognized the value of resilience as they called up the capacity to carry through.
Worthy things in life are rarely achieved with ease. We, on the cusp of adulthood, need to recognize that we hold the keys to the future in our imagination and in our hearts. It's up to us to find resilience within ourselves and let it shine. Show that light to others throughout life's journey. As we embark upon the next stage of our lives, let us commit to something greater, let us find the heart to persevere, and let us summon up the resilience to move forward to success.
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Prom 2011by rchao1,462 views
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