Speech to Motivate
by Dr. Ricardo Somblingo
Today, I am reminded of an adage which says “Many were called; Few were chosen; yet, much fewer remained.” This wisdom echoes the rarity of the opportunity given to all of you. Hence, notably, your being here signifies that you are one of those chosen few- a small number taken from the chunk of 15,000 students.
Many, too, did work hard and gave much of their all to be where you are at present – a scholar. But, with sad heart, I say, countless of them did not share the good fate that you have. You were chosen on bases which caused you to be qualified and be counted. Your academic excellence, special skills, unwavering willingness to serve, and untiring spirit for labor did make all of you different from many students not involved in this gathering today.
Hence, needless to point out, you must be grateful and appreciative of your being a scholar. And, more greatly, be on guard always.
I truly know how different you are in terms of many things if we are to compare your practices to that of your peers. Many times, I believe, you could not gallivant and merely stroll in campus or the city even if you much wanted too. It is so because the demand on your academics requires a certain standard. It is also because you have duties to fulfil. You cannot afford to waste time. You keep track of your time to meet many demands – the demand of your course subjects, the demand of the scholarship committee, the demand of your scholarship grant, and much more.
Hence, I believe there were many times you said next time, later, not now, some other day to your friends, classmates, and even family because you are pressed with many concerns and responsibilities you can’t let wait. There are times you spend hours in our library or studying, because you need to work hard to not only pass a subject but gain the needed grade to keep your grant. And while doing so, you see many students laughing their hearts out, chatting, curling their hair, and unmindfully letting the passage of time. Sometimes, your being a scholar is not appreciated. Conversely, there comes a time you feel the demands sinking in as pressures and all the joy and pride you have turn gray and dull.
Sometimes you grow tired and weary. These demands become too heavy to carry. They seemed to be likened to bricks put inside your bags. And as the “add-ons” of responsibility take their toll, the brick seem to pile up one after the other. Consequently, the routine of truth sets in once more – many applied, few were chosen, much fewer continued, and a handful had a great end.
Therefore, being chosen is not the greatest to be. Being able to remain and end well count most. A race is never won because one started with great acceleration at the beginning, yet, when near the end one stops to continue. You are racing not with your fellow scholars, not with somebody else, but with your ownselves. You are competing against the wrong view that you might get in the course of your being students. You are fighting against laziness, non compliance, tardiness, irresponsibility and mediocrity. Your opponent is yourselves. It requires great effort and labor for an individual to train and discipline others, but greater effort and training are needed to discipline one’s self.
Master the art of self discipline that you may be able to win over all the challenges you meet as a student, scholar and man. Always look for essences in everything that you do. Remember the people that will smile or cry in every action you make.
Lastly, be reminded that life is a product of choices. Thus, the choices you make today will be the quality of life you will live tomorrow.
May God bless us all.
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