And then a hero comes along With the strength to carry on And you cast your fears aside And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone Look inside you and be strong And you finally see the truth That a hero lies in you -Hero, Mariah Carey
Dear students, I wish to encourage you to dream the impossible dream, to boldly go where no one else has gone before, to set goals, break records, resist toxic individuals and develop a large dream that will help you to climb the highest mountains. You were not placed here on this earth to have small dreams. Small dreams are the result of a low self-esteem. You were designed for greatness. God never made a mistake. Hello there, you are a product of divine genius. Tell your neighbour, I was born to be a success.You are going to go to secondary school in September 2011. But before that you have to go to the examination room. You have to aspire, but you must also be prepared to perspire. You cannot only dream, you must arise and fulfil your dreams. You must have heard about Nick Vujikic, born in 1982 in Australia. Nick had enormous challenges, but he refused to roll over and die. He is a university graduate, a motivational speaker and an author of two books. The title of his book tells the story: No Aarms, No Legs, No Worry. He was born without hands and legs, but he is convinced that he was born to be a success.
Stand tall, don't fall, the nation calls. Have you heard about the female world chess champion? Do you know that she is a teenager, just 16 years old? She has beaten older and more experienced chess players, but she has made it to the top. The name of this talented Chinese is Hou Yifan. Carl Jacobs in his Guardian article last Thursday provides critical information and identifies the factors responsible for her success. She developed a passion for the game at age three. And soon, in record breaking time, she was outplaying her father and grandmother. She developed a large dream. In 2003, she played the national coach. In 2007, she became the youngest ever champion in China. She had a large dream. At the age of 12, she was dreaming and dreaming big. Ponder her desires: To buy real estate in Paris and to overtake Judith Polgar as the all-time best woman chess player. She has two grandmasters as her trainers and she continues to exhibit overwhelming discipline. It is amazing how economic and political developments could mirror success in the sports and cultural arena.
It is well known that China is emerging as the next superpower and India has been producing significant miracles. There are many Silicon Valleys in India and they never allowed the Mumbai massacre to destroy their dream. Listen students, in this life storms will come but no storm lasts forever. Do not settle for silver and bronze, when gold is available. Bob Wieland ran a race without legs, Vera Bhagan is a lawyer although she was born without hands. She cannot write... Did I say that? Mistake! Mistake! She has no fingers, but she uses her feet. If you weren't born with hands, use your feet, if you have no feet, use your teeth. Remember, once you have a brain the sky is the limit. Within a few months you shall be entering a secondary school. Go there with purpose and passion. Display an attitude of gratitude. Forget your destructive critics, do not join the crowd. We have enough bandits, drug addicts, gamblers and murderers. Struggle to preserve your dreams and do not be distracted. You are a child of God, higher hands are leading you. Set goals very early in life. This is one of the most important secrets in life.
Dr Ben Carson's mother taught him this lesson. He developed a large dream after placing last in 5th grade. But his mother established some tough rules. His father had left, but the mother stuck by his side. She had a formula that included two rules: Homework before TV and homework before street games. The rest is history: Dr Ben Carson is now an internationally acclaimed pediatric neurosurgeon.You might find that your parents want to control you, but what they are trying to do is to help you make the right choices so your innocence can be preserved. Go into secondary school and be punctual. Respect your teachers and treat your parents with dignity. You need a large dream. This dream must be larger than any problems or combination of problems that may come knocking on your door.
Choose role models who love success. One of the greatest credit unions in the world is the Eastern Credit Union. They have systematically planned and executed this empowerment programme. They love you and you must love them. Be quick to say "I am sorry" when you discover that you have made a mistake. Don't boast like the baggy pants addicts that are rude and crude. Display intelligence and decency. Have the right values. Make the right choices. Great choices, great memories; poor choices, poor memories. Go with God. You are a child of the King, Hallelujah. You may stumble and fall, but get up. Remember that after sunrise comes sunset. But the sun will rise again. You might have heard people say that after every dark cloud there is a silver lining. But I would like to suggest to you that after every dark lining there is a silver cloud. Use your imagination wisely. When the temptation to be discouraged comes along, jump, listen and sing songs like To Dream the Impossible Dream, and the Sound of Music's stellar hit, Climb Every Mountain. Make use of the rainbow after the clouds drop the rain. The rainbow represents hope. Keep faith alive, trust in God, pray daily, make wise choices, love your parents, do your homework, read wisely, love people of all races, be anxious to forgive. Be sure to reject pornography, drugs, gambling and the gangs. You were designed to forgive and not hate. You were designed to make a difference. Go into the world and make that difference.