Tribute Speech

Dear Parents,

Everything is overwhelming right  now. Just by looking at us wearing our neatly pressed white uniform , i bet, your overwhelming joy in this momentous event is unexplainable. Some of you here have teary eyes, some cannot even think straight because you can hardly believe that we, your children, are graduating. However, can I ask one last favor form you? Join me as we reminisce the beautiful moments we had before we are who we are now.

Let's go back 19, 20 or 21 years ago, when we, your children first learned to crawl,  stand and walk. You were there untiringly supporting and preventing us from falling to the ground. Thank you. You were our first kinesthetic teacher!

Remember the first time we uttered the words mama, papa, daddy, mommy, nanay or tatay? That made you teary eyed, right? Thank you! Thank you for being our first language teacher.

The toilet training, the routine toothbrushing, tying our shoelace, holding of spoon and fork correctly and grooming ourselves properly... Thank you for teaching us all these -- I believe, that was our foundation in making ourselves neat and pleasant as medical students who care for patients who are uncomfortable because of their illnesses.

During the first day of Kindergarten, when some of us were so afraid, while some of us were so excited to go to our first ever school. Thank you for accompanying us. The little assurance from you that everything would be fun was such a help to ease the anxiety we had those times.

When simple coloring of pictures and simple counting of 1,2,3 turned to more complex thesis writing and mathematical expressions that made us stay late at night studying. Thank you for gently waking us up in the morning just to save us from running late in our classes and duties.

On puberty stage, when we all felt we were so ugly... that the physical changes happening made us realize we were no longer children. Thank you for telling us that we are the most beautiful and handsome persons in the whole world.

Some may feel closed off, while some are openly vocal to our parents about our heartbreaks. Thank you for advising us that it's not the end of the world.

When we were so confused which college course to take our what school should we go to.. When some of you forced us to do this and that, while some of you were calm and let us decide which is which. Thank you! Indeed, you know what's best for us.

For the times that our friends or classmates had to stay overnight in our house... Or the times we had to sleep over in our classmates' place.. Or making our home a venue for a video making. Thank you! For letting them in or letting me be just to wrap up our cases presentations or research paper even though deep inside us, at time, we knew these sleepovers would just be staying late talking and making good, silly memories as friends rather than finishing our projects.

Surfing the net has been our night shifts routine from eight to two am. Thank you for the ready breakfast you prepared for us on the table that kept us energized the whole mentally tiring day.

For nagging us about going home early and studying for the exams rather than watching televisions, calling and texting a friend or going out on a Friday or Saturday night. Thank you. We know that the knowledge we get in the academe is the only thing you can give us that nobody could ever take away.

Even for the times we made mistakes. When we have disappointed you because we failed a subject, or we frustrate you because we are so stubborn... Still you, our parents never gave up on us, still trusted us and supported us all the way.. simply because we are your children; a big thanks because you are our parents and you love us unconditionally.

My dear fellow graduates, who would forget our mentors? Sir and Ms. you were the ones who imposed on us those extension and payment duties whenever we are late or fail to bring a requirement that eventually developed our discipline, you who gave us mind cracking tests that motivated us to try harder next time... Thank you... for being our second parents here in school.

Today, as we graduate, the things I said are just a few of the many simple things you have done to us that created big impacts on our lives. In a few more months, our lives will never be the same - you will no longer see us wear our school uniforms, you will not see us sleeping with our books on our faces, and you will no longer give us allowances for school - because in a few more months from now, we will have our own new uniforms for work, you will see us sleeping very tired from a day's job interviews and perhaps, we will have our own salary to share for the expenses at home. It will be our time to take full responsibility for our lives and make you more proud in whatever field we choose.

Mama and Papa, Mommy and Daddy, Nanay and Tatay... For working so hard late at night so you could pay our tuition, for waking up early in the morning just to prepare the things we need, for making us your priority that sometimes you tend to forget about your own personal needs, for being there when the world turns their back on us... a million thanks is not enough to show our gratitude to you, our dear parents. I hope, in behalf of my batchmates, through this tribute speech we have expressed our heartfelt thank you for being the best mama and papa, mommy and daddy, nanay and tatay in the whole world... - C