Dispatches for the Colonial Office
LogoSophia Magazine – A Pilgrim's Journal of Life, Literature and Love
Variation on a newspaper column I wrote years ago
Graduation Speech Soup
Add cliches’ to tastelessness, stir, and microwave
“Dr. Ponsonby, Mr. Snort, Ms. Bogdown, Trustees, Guests, Parents, Fellow Classmates: "Woo-Hoo! Thank you for all for the honor of being here tonight and, like, stuff. Woo-Hoo!
"My fellow classmates. Well it's been a great 12, 13, or 14 years ha-ha. Woo-Hoo!
“Keep the torch alive to pass to a new generation with the key that unlocks the road to the future follow your passion the unemployment will follow woo-hoo we’ve been through some amazing times together make a difference to thine own self be true woo-hoo commencement means a beginning not an ending woo-hoo as we go forth life is a journey not a destination we made it all the hard work we’ve put forth to this point in time as a great man said these are the best time in our lives as one door closes another door opens as someone says in the bible because a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step to make the world a better place trust your instincts you don’t find education in books we are the future bright with promise some see the future and ask why but we see the future and ask why not Habakkuk 2:7 woo-hoo we did it I can’t believe we’re here believe in yourself live your dreams to be all that you can be God has a plan for you woo-hoo we have the responsibility to build a new world if opportunity doesn’t know build a door don’t follow the path blaze a trail because there is no one like you because you are an individual just like those other hundred or so people your age and all dressed just alike because life is what happens while you’re making plans woo-hoo live, laugh, love you have to look through the rain to see the rainbow dance like nobody’s looking (even though they are, and they’re laughing at you) aim for the moon and if you miss you’ll hit the moon (or something) life is not waiting for the storm to pass it’s about dancing in the rain because you are a new generation called to miss 100% of the shots you don’t take because we were all one big family who have lived, laughed, and loved together hey and remember the time (name) barfed on the stairs we’ll all that that shared moment to remember and are we great or what praise Jesus together woo-hoo we can’t save all the starfish but I can make a difference for this one because as a great man Robert Frost said in “The Road Not Taken” we can make a difference for all the starfish and hey let’s give up for Jesus for mandatory cheap applause because someone said that someone said that someone else said that we can’t talk about Jesus at graduation and someone talks about Jesus every year but we’re courageous because we talk about Jesus in the sea of life woo-hoo today is the first day of your rest of your life oh, the places you’ll go like maybe eternal stasis in front of a MePhone because education is the gate that unlocks the key to something I don’t know why they asked me to be the speaker ha ha shout-out to Mom hey everybody wear sunscreen because your future’s so bright close your eyes and remember when - hey, an air horn, that’s so cool, no one’s ever done that before - woo-hoo I want to congratulate each and every one of you on your incredible talents and abilities woo-hoo as you begin your journey to a bright and shining future because we are the best class (name of school and a shout-out to the mascot) has ever graduated (since last year) woo-hoo a dream is a wish your heart makes the road not taken and you can become anything you dream to be or wish to be or something #lifehack because she said she could do it and she did woo-hoo #hashtag now go forth and make your lives exceptional woo-hoo although on Monday morning we’ll wake up and realize we’re just more unemployed Americans.”
