I AM The ManicQUEEN

Not so long ago I got invited to deliver an inspirational message at the institution that means so much to me and has helped me a lot in shaping my dreams, my ALMA MATER- Sta. Cruz National High School. You bet I am capable of delivering a serious talk in front of a nearly-thousand people. 

My first reaction was: WOW! COOL! Being a graduation guest speaker is such an honor. I am very proud to be one of the chosen few among the primary breed of graduates that our dear school produces every academic year. The invitation was not expected but it made me feel extra privileged. 

However, as the ecstasy subsided I doubted my competence to carry the task. I don't feel worthy enough of the honor- Feeling ko kasi pag guest speaker ka dapat SUPER SUCCESSFUL ka, SUPER SMART, SUPER MAY NAABOT NA SA BUHAY, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! Basta, Gets 'nyo na yan! At ako? Hindi po kasi ako SUPER kaya nag dalawang isip ako na tanggapin ang hamon, but on the other hand, I don't want to deny this years' graduates the chance of having the prettiest and the coolest speaker that's why I accepted the challenge. 

Okay, I made the illustration above in order to show how my brain reacted after learning about the theme.

I hate conventional speeches! Those that start with "To our dear principal...." and ends with "I salute each of you on your accomplishment". Dang! makes me sleepy like a sleeping cockatoo. 

I MUST MAKE MY SPEECH FUN AND INTERACTIVE! And I guess I did.. I hope so. 

As much as I want to post my speech here verbatim, my almost full memory space cognition can't bleed for every single word that my mouth articulated. Hence the gist of my address:

Looking back on my own graduation day has helped me a lot in deciding the very essence of this speech. Nine years ago, I sat where you sit today. But, I must say that even as my memory serves me well, I cannot remember a single sentence uttered by our speaker. Considering my own experience enables me to pause and ask myself; if I am to graduate from High school today, what do I wish to know about the life that lies beyond these walls and what are the important lessons that I need to know in order to successfully face the next chapter of my life? 

So today, instead of bugging you about the interconnecting reality of you having to contribute to nation building because of your newly harnessed values, skills and knowledge. Let's talk instead about the lessons that I learned in the nine years that have expired between the day of my high school

 graduation up to now which I stood here as your guest speaker. 

Do you want to know how I achieved my dreams?

(YES! Declared the audience)

Well, I've learned that there are FIVE ESSENTIAL STEPS TO SUCCESS and we will dubbed them as CHARLOTTE's iSTEPS TO SUCCESS. iSTEPS because this year's generation of graduates can easily relate to words starting with the letter 'i". (iphone, ipad, ipod, ipod touch, ipod suffle... i....)

Okay, so here are my iSTEPS FOR SUCCESS FOR THE iGRADUATES!

Can you imagine yourself doing something truly exceptional? Sometimes, our imagination is our best predictor of what we really desire out of our lives  therefore I want  all of you to :

-close your eyes

-relax

-and imagine a life after this day

WHO DO YOU SEE? DO YOU SEE A SUCCESSFUL YOU?

DARE TO IMAGINE BIG DREAMS because it is by this human capacity to envision that great invention and innovation were made possible. 

If you can imagine yourself now as a successful legislator, an honorable physician, a noble educator, an effective engineer, a business-tycoon, world-renowned fashion designer, highly paid image stylist, technologically-advanced fishermen, farmers, IT’s, Managers, Supervisors, clerks, secretaries, or a mother to three kids... then most likely YOU WILL BE. 

However, IMAGINATION alone is never effective therefore if you plan to day dream the entire time that I talk here, I suggest you drop the idea because you need to know the other lessons that I am about to bestow in order to make your imagination a REALITY.

When you have a vision without a concrete plan, that vision is merely a dream. when you add a plan to that vision, your dream becomes a goal that you can accomplish.

I want all of you to assess your imagination and write all the things that you can achieve easily. From there, plan your action by creating a step-by-step goal. 

If you are going to pursue a college education be sure to plan your course well. Consider your interests, your skills, your desires and financial practicality. Parents, suportahi ang gipili na kurso sa inyong mga anak kay mas daku ang chance na molampos sila kung gusto nila ang ilang ginabuhat. Ayaw pugsa na mag nurse na imong anak kung makuyapan man gani na makakita ug dugo."

Remember that a seed that is planted on the wrong soil will never grow.

Always tell this to yourself: I SEE IT… I WANT IT… AND I WILL NOT STOP UNTILL I GET IT

You SEE it because you followed lesson 1: Dare to IMAGine

You WANT it because you learned from lesson 2: YES THAT DREAM IS ACHIEVABLE

NOW DO NOT EVER STOP UNTIL YOU ACCOMPLISHED WHAT YOU WANT!

Accept no excuses, ay kay pobre ra man gud mi… ay kay layu man ang skwelahan maglisod nya sila tatay gasto pamilite ug allowance, ay kay moskwela pa man gud ako ate… pa unahon sa nko cya…. Ay kay bugo man gud daw ko..sayang ra nya ang tuition. Remember that there is nothing preventing you from having everything you want  – except you.

Sa mga utokan pero dili adunahan: I challenge all of you to “take the bulls by its horns” and apply for scholarships. Nag gikan pud ko sa pamilya na average ang income… dili gamay dili pud daku, pero kung mag enroll ko sa mga prestigious na skwelahan sigurado ko na mag lisod jud taman sa ginahawa akong ginikanan. Did I take it as a hindrance to be what I want to be? NO! BIG NO! I applied for an academic scholarship at San Pedro College. Thanks God, my application was approved and yet I have to maintain an average of 90 every grading period, it saved my family from the meals that we may have to skip just to afford my tuition. Lisod pero nakaya kay GIKAYA.

 Truth is no one emerges at the top without even failing.  Dear graduates, Life doesn't usually follow the plans you lay out for your self. You will experience both ups and lows and your true success will be defined by how you handle both of these times. I am proud to say that my success is a product of both my hardships and failures. You just have to fail in order to succeed- That’s life!

LESSON 1-4 is a never-ending process to success. You imagine, you plan your action and carry-on, life may give you a lot of excuses but you always find a way out and of course you may fail but dare to start imagining and dreaming again. 

BUT REMEMBER that success won’t be any sweeter unless you share it with others hence

 . This day, you have achieved something- you are now armed with the most important tools needed to forge your path ahead- your learning.

Repay your teacher by applying what you know

Repay your self by seizing the opportunity that is already at your hands.

Repay your family by building a better future for them

Repay your community by sharing what you know.

Repay your nation by being an active agent in its development and progress.

Yes, I graduated Magna Cum Laude

Yes, I was able to send my brother to college and be the bread winner of my family.

Yes, I have my own car... a lovely home... 

Yes, Somehow I am providing jobs to the jobless through the Fuel Service station that I co-own. 

Yes, I live a happy fulfilling life.

It all started with a DREAM.. followed by STEPS... toughened with TRIALS.... redeemed from FAILURE and getting sweeter and sweeter each day because of SHARING. 

What you have learned will not only shape your life but your family's, brothers, sisters life, the life of your neighbors and above all the country in general. 

TOGETHER LET'S CREATE A WONDERFUL PHILIPPINES!

That ends my speech! I decided not to include few examples per LESSON. Rest assured that I made it interactive, I asked questions, let the graduates respond and let the cheese slide from my sandwich when needed. Thank you so much for stopping by.

 Oh and I made the illustrations the entire day, what do you think, are they cute? I hope you had  fun reading.

I will be ending this post with my photos taken from the actual event. Ciao!

PS

My tatay gave me this huge painting as a reward for a "job well done". I love it!