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A Middle School Grad Speech

2/10/2015

 
Somebody asked me to give this little speech and I have to tell you it terrifies me, but not as much as the cafeteria food or exams. Anyway – bear with me.

It feels good to be on top. Everybody looks up to and envies your place. Teachers stop thinking that maybe you’re too young or stupid. Remember Ralph Emerson’s first day? Shortest kid in the sixth grade. Everyone thought he wandered over from Coffin elementary during recess. Now he’s grown half a food and will be starting running back from the Brunswick Dragons. Still the shortest kid I know, but man Ralphy can run!

Next year we’ll all be the short kids in school. Some will feel lost and have to scrape and claw for respect and elbow space; others will breeze on through as they normally do. All of the expectations from the ‘rents and teachers will be the same, but college is on the horizon. It’s something we got to think about during four years of tests, essays, books and stress. On top of that there are all of the joys of being a teenager. You know, curfews, girls, prom, and your place in it all. Try not to get so caught up in the day-to-day B.S. you forget to enjoy yourself.

High school may feel like forever, but if we blink it’ll disappear and then . . . Well we’ll all be adults making adult decisions. What I’m saying is time flies when life happens. It’s why Fridays in social studies are spent daydreaming about the weekend and homework rarely gets done before Sunday night. Try not to get lost in high school. We go to study for the rest of our lives. What we do and whether it is enough really matters – especially if you plan to attend college. If not, then whatever, keep your sights out of the gutter. Don’t worry about where you fit in or what your friends are doing – do you. That’s all you need to know. Do fulfill your dreams and heart’s desire. Make it worthy of your future and everything else will follow.


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    Author

    In the time he has been incarcerated, Lyle May has earned an Associates in Arts degree with a social science emphasis through Ohio University; paralegal certification through the Center for Legal Studies; and is currently working on his bachelor’s degree. He has published two articles in The Wing, an international newsletter for death penalty opponents, and is hard at work writing a second memoir detailing his experiences on death row. When he is not writing Lyle enjoys sci-fi and fantasy novels, calisthenics, and dreams of freedom.

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    Lyle welcomes comments to his blog.  However, because Lyle's case is still pending, he will not be able to respond to any questions or comments that you may have.

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