Good morning Dr. Pavel, Central staff, alumni, family and friends. Welcome to the Commencement of the 263rd Class of Central High School.
Look at your classmates, absorb their faces, remember... Recall, if you will, how these faces appeared four years ago. We were eons younger then and so much more innocent. The world seemed a safer place and all we needed to worry about was this intimidating new school.
That first day at Central I was impressed by the prevalence of oversized backpacks on undersized freshmen. We had all heard so much about this place, its history and traditions, the difficulty of the courses. I knew I was on my own and, through my youthful eyes, anyone -- everyone, could have been a genius. I simply assumed that everyone was. There seemed to be no other course open to me, so I fell back on what the legacy of my grandfather's life had taught me; I just worked, and then I worked more. I never expected to be up here today.
As time passed, the academic component of my life fell into place and yet a void began to grow. Something seemed out of synch. Day in and day out, I was working and meeting deadlines and I felt myself collapsing in upon myself and yet I could not identify the source. With some hope, I turned to my friends. They helped me realize that I was both more and less than I had first believed -- and that while I have much to give, there's still so much I need.
In this fast-paced, frequently disjointed world, I seemed to have lost my path, forgotten my commitment to make a difference -- not just in my life, but also for that society of man of which I am a part. I began to open my eyes to see what I will soon miss -- the people. The never stagnant flow of people: the teachers, the students, the staff, made Central what it has been for us and what it will be in the future for others. It is a living organism, and I've never seen a neglected soul within its walls. There is a place for everyone (should they so choose to go). I am not likely to see this diversity anywhere else. I would have learned a great deal about life had I just roamed the halls everyday to meet new people. Perhaps it was a mistake to sit back just letting things flow by. But I'm still a foolish boy and I've got a lifetime left to live.
Reality once beaded on our skin like a slicker in the rain, but now we feel it soaking in as new responsibilities emerge. We must be ready to lead this society. We sit here among the best Philadelphia has to offer and if we don't lead who will? Do we leave the choices to those less capable than ourselves? It seems our generation is slowly losing direction, which is why we must rise to the challenge. Passivity does not cure cancer, compose music, write books, or change the predestined march of human society towards its own doom. Hindsight has revealed that time is moving faster that it seems. Waiting will accomplish nothing. Each of us must be the change that we want to see in the world. Apathy kills more than any disease because it fails to help. As you take the future, remember the importance of your role in it. I have at last come to realize the reason behind the hard work and the necessity of putting our collective abilities to the task. For good or ill, the torch is passed to us.
So now we come together one last time, the heart of Central sitting here together and we need to take stock before we move forward into our new lives. It's important to step back from time to time to preserve perspective and to regain personal balance. Reflection has a place in everyone's life lest things pass (each of) us by without acknowledgment. In this fast-paced world, a little reflection may be all we have left of philosophy. We must not forget to open our eyes to appreciate the panorama of wonders surrounding us, and commit ourselves to the challenge of living lives that matter.
Robert Frost was right --
"Way leads on to way and that makes all the difference."
Good-bye, then, and good luck.-Nicholas Dang
