Molly, one of our past High School & GED grads, gave our 2021 grads an encouraging word at the graduation we held in November. Check out her speech below!
My name is Molly. I graduated from Hope House with my GED in 2020. I am an EMT now in Aurora, Colorado with MetroCare Ambulance <applause from audience>. This is what I have to say to you <speaking to the 7 High School & GED graduates>…
I spent a lot of time contemplating my future, whether I chose the right path or not… I don’t believe I will ever truly know if my chosen path will exploit my full potential, but I am okay with that because I found a life that I love even though the hardships have been a test of strength and resilience. There is beauty in the unknown and there is beauty in the struggle. The past few years have been a struggle for us all. This year has been especially challenging for my family and me, but this is the reason for me saying there is beauty in the struggle: the laughter, the sadness, the anger has brought most of us even closer. We found the true meaning of friendship and love through Hope House as they continue to encourage us to embrace the struggle, to deal with it, pick ourselves up and keep going. And all of this is a life lesson that will stick with us as we raise our children, as we grow ourselves in finding our missions while achieving goals. This all will be seen by our children through stories and memories of ourselves as we grow and learn alongside them. Our children are our legacy. They are our future. And when we look back on all the long nights of studying, the tears of doubt and the fear of our own failure, it only shows the growth we are capable of when we do achieve the life that we want to live… the life we want for our children and families. Being a single mother while in college is tough, and I won’t lie to you about life being tough in general. We have to learn to be comfortable in being uncomfortable. We weren’t made to sit and do nothing for ourselves. We were made to challenge and achieve, to cry, to learn, to fail. We will fail at certain points, but these certain points are there to make sure that the next time life brings us down, we know what to do, how to get back up and how to keep moving forward. I’m not sure what your next step is, and it’s okay if you don’t know yourself. You being here and having done what you have done shows that you are the one to challenge and achieve. You are strong and capable and you are working toward the life you want to live and the life that you want for your family.
So, I have brought a long my work shirt, and it’s, you know… small flex there 😊 <laughter from audience>. I work for MetroCare, in Aurora, like I said… But this shirt right here, this is my symbol. A shirt that both humbles me and gives me confidence. This is the thing that shows me how far I’ve come, how far I’m going to go, where’ve I’ve been, where I am and where I’m going. This is my gateway to a better, happier life with my child. With all the struggles I have been through in life, this is my happiness because this is finally something I’ve proven to myself, to myself. Two years ago, I wouldn’t have thought I would actually be here speaking at a graduation and enjoying my work and what I do every day. This is a symbol of my love, faith and trust in myself to keep going, to keep learning, to keep failing and to keep believing in myself in the world and this life.
What will your symbol be? What will keep you humble and what will give you confidence?
Congratulations on your achievement! Keep challenging yourself because this right here, while you have come a long way is only the beginning of your journey. I hope this is a moment in your life where you will remember being proud and feeling strong and successful. A moment that breaks through the clouds of doubt and fear that will fight to block your path. A moment that becomes your strength.
