posted at 01/03/12 - 05:00 PM
Exerpt from "Silent Hope:" Chapter 4- Graduation For Two
“I didn’t come here today to get praised, I came to give praise. Praise to my grandmother Grace Stephens and my mother Hope Stephens who believed in me from birth and who last names I proudly share. I wasn’t named after my father because he didn’t ‘man up’ to help raise me. I was fortunate enough to be named after my wonderful grandmother who strove hard to make ends-meat and who never gave up in life before she died. I would like to also give praise to God for allowing me to have the strength to stand here today to encourage others to be strong as well and to follow your hearts towards your own dreams. I was told by God in a dream, to let Faith inspire you and Hope guide you in life, so I am doing just that. My daughter Faith, definitely inspires me to do better in my life and has now showed me that I need her more than she needs me. And my mother Hope, helps guide me along the way to the pathways of success. To have tasted your dream, is to have first chased your dream. And to have fought for a dream, is to have first stalked your dream. I have gone way beyond chasing, I am now beginning to stalk my dreams. So if you are not in it to assist me with accomplishing my already set, aimed and ready to fire goals, then get out of my way! I am on a mission now; I have to be because I am now responsible for another life. To all of the other young mothers out there in your seats and soon to be young mothers in the future and am raising your child or children on your own, I would like to say this to you.”
“When love is not a ‘two-way street’, stop going ‘one way’ before you end up at a dead end!”
“Fatherhood is very important for our children, and so is motherhood. We can’t let these no good fathers take us down. Our main objective as young mothers is to ‘sooth the mind’ and not ‘destroy our minds’! Fighting a losing battle while raising a child is senseless, it will take a lot out of us, and we have to be strong for our children. Yesterday made me a better person for today, and today, I desire to be a better young woman for tomorrow. One cannot find peace without first finding all of the pieces that combines it. Just ask yourselves, are you living, or simply just existing in this world that God has granted you so mercifully?”
“Although I am young, I tell myself this all the time. Its ones attitude that governs great things in our daily lives, remember that. Also remember when you are alone in your room and you feel as though you are facing life alone, God’s got your back! I won’t take up too much more of your time, so in my closing, I would like to just thank my mom for supporting me and showing me love when I needed it. Thanks for allowing me time to come to my senses on my own before trying to tell me what to do. Thanks for all of your teachings that I now can share with other young girls. I also would like to thank all of my teachers for pushing me and not allowing me to give up when I felt the need to. Thank you to our Principle, Mrs. Darcy as well. You truly are a blessing from heaven! And on another note, I would very much like to thank my no-good daughter’s father wherever he is, for acting like a ‘wet blanket’ on the floor being inactive, and just like an obstacle, in the way of my successes. But I do thank you for my beautiful gift-of-life, my daughter Faith, who helped change my world and the way I view it. Life is a struggle and then you die, but before I do, I demand to be happy! Thank you all so much.”
‘The audience gracefully laughs and fiercely applauds Virginia for her speech. Mrs. Darcy returns to the microphone and turns to Virginia as she is being seated and softly says,’
“Thank you for your inspiring speech Virginia, I know it will help someone in this auditorium. Your love for your grandmother that you have expressed makes me want to know her.”
‘Virginia smiles and looks up towards the sky. The ceremony continues with more spe