Monday, September 29, 2014

September 29,2014 Monday "valediction"

September 29, 2014   Monday

blog address: Readingthedictionarybackwards.blogspot.com
email: ishmaelish36@blogspot.com

You can find my other blog of pediatric anecdotes, poetry, artwork and literature at ishmaelish36.blogspot.com

valediction: [Latin vale  farewell dicere  to say]

     an act of bidding farewell

    valedictorian: the person, usually with the highest grade point average, who gives the valedictory speech at the commencement exercises

   This etymology, saying farewell, makes this speech at graduation all the more poignant.  Tom Paradise, in 1970, on his way to Harvard, gave the valedictory speech at my high school graduation.  He was a soft spoken, kind person.  What do I recall of the speech?  Nothing…but I do recall the feeling; the sentiment of all of us standing on stage, four years of hard, intellectual work behind us, eagerly ready to embark on an new, exciting and distant path silently observing that proud look in the eyes of our elegantly dressed parents.  A beautiful moment frozen in time. 

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