First Honor's Assembly
(Speech delivered during the First Honor's Assembly of the Grade 1 students at USLS-IS Oct 1, 2009)
Teachers, fellow parents, and students.
Let me share with you a story. There was a young boy who wanted to own a bike. So he went to the Chapel and prayed before the altar and asked God if He could give him the bike he wanted. But the following day, there was still no bike, so the young boy went back to the Chapel and prayed again, asking God to give him the bike. He waited for the next day, but still no bike came. So for the third time, the little boy went back to the Chapel and prayed all the more for God to give him the bike. However, there was still no bike the following day. The next morning, the Parish priest was preparing to say the mass in the Chapel when he noticed that the Statue of the Virgin Mary was missing. The priest could no longer find the Statue on its usual place. Instead, the priest found a folded paper.
He opened the paper and found out that it was a letter written by a young child. The letter read, “Dear Jesus, kung gusto mo pa nga makita Mama mo, ihatag na ang bike.”
Like the little boy, all children have dreams and desires of their own; each dream is never petty or trivial for the child. When I was a young boy, I also had my own dream. 20 years ago, I too sat in that chair, waiting for my name to be called, to receive my first Honor’s certificate. And since that day, I also dreamed of becoming somebody big. I dreamed of becoming a doctor.
Years later, this childhood dream came true, thanks to the nurturing guidance of my parents and my teachers. Perhaps this is the role of us parents: to first and foremost allow our kids to dream. Hodding Carter, Jr once said, “There are two lasting bequests we can give our children. One is roots. The other is wings.” Perhaps the former is easier to give than the latter.
The fact about giving them wings is that by doing so, we admit that there will come a point in our lifetime that our kids will flap their wings and fly away, towards their own dreams, dreams which may be different from what we would want for them. This very morning, we are witnessing their first steps towards that dream.
So, as parents and teachers, let us help them spread their wings, teach them how to fly, and push them higher, into heights they alone can imagine. My fellow parents and teachers, I share in your pride over our children.
To end, let me share with your this poem by Diane Loomans.
Congratulations my dear students. Continue to listen to your teachers and parents. Congratulations my dear teachers. Continue to teach with passion and enthusiasm. Congratulations my fellow parents. Continue to love your kids in a manner that would enrich their dreams.
Teachers, fellow parents, and students.
Let me share with you a story. There was a young boy who wanted to own a bike. So he went to the Chapel and prayed before the altar and asked God if He could give him the bike he wanted. But the following day, there was still no bike, so the young boy went back to the Chapel and prayed again, asking God to give him the bike. He waited for the next day, but still no bike came. So for the third time, the little boy went back to the Chapel and prayed all the more for God to give him the bike. However, there was still no bike the following day. The next morning, the Parish priest was preparing to say the mass in the Chapel when he noticed that the Statue of the Virgin Mary was missing. The priest could no longer find the Statue on its usual place. Instead, the priest found a folded paper.
He opened the paper and found out that it was a letter written by a young child. The letter read, “Dear Jesus, kung gusto mo pa nga makita Mama mo, ihatag na ang bike.”
Like the little boy, all children have dreams and desires of their own; each dream is never petty or trivial for the child. When I was a young boy, I also had my own dream. 20 years ago, I too sat in that chair, waiting for my name to be called, to receive my first Honor’s certificate. And since that day, I also dreamed of becoming somebody big. I dreamed of becoming a doctor.
Years later, this childhood dream came true, thanks to the nurturing guidance of my parents and my teachers. Perhaps this is the role of us parents: to first and foremost allow our kids to dream. Hodding Carter, Jr once said, “There are two lasting bequests we can give our children. One is roots. The other is wings.” Perhaps the former is easier to give than the latter.
The fact about giving them wings is that by doing so, we admit that there will come a point in our lifetime that our kids will flap their wings and fly away, towards their own dreams, dreams which may be different from what we would want for them. This very morning, we are witnessing their first steps towards that dream.
So, as parents and teachers, let us help them spread their wings, teach them how to fly, and push them higher, into heights they alone can imagine. My fellow parents and teachers, I share in your pride over our children.
To end, let me share with your this poem by Diane Loomans.
If I had my child to raise all over again,
I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.
I'd finger-paint more, and point the finger less.
I would do less correcting and more connecting.
I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.
I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.
I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.
I'd do more hugging and less tugging.
Congratulations my dear students. Continue to listen to your teachers and parents. Congratulations my dear teachers. Continue to teach with passion and enthusiasm. Congratulations my fellow parents. Continue to love your kids in a manner that would enrich their dreams.
Comments
well written. enjoyed reading this.