Summer+K’s+Final+AmEx+Speech+2016


 * Taking Things for Granted **

“People say you don’t know what you’ve got until it's gone...truth is, you knew what you had, you just never thought you would lose it.” I don’t know who wrote this quote, but it’s meaning really resonate with me. It’s true, we take things for granted everyday, whether we are aware of it or not. Sometimes we just get so swept up by the events in our lives that we forget to take the time to appreciate the little everyday things. Like that warm cup of coffee, that stupid joke your friend made, even that boring class you have to attend. Most of us are lucky enough to have these things while others don’t, so we should cherish them while we have them. Because one day, whether you want it to or not, it can all change in the blink of an eye. Life moves forward, so we must too, but don’t forget to just take a step back and realize what you have.

I yearn for a day when people will appreciate their treasures, even when they are present. I’m guilty of not realizing what I had; that time for me was middle school. I had great friends, great teachers, not a lot of homework. But I got bored of the same daily routine, and I wish that I realized how good I had it then. Though it’s not like I don’t have it good now. Minus the homework and stress, I’m really enjoying high school. What’s different is that I’m learning from my mistake in middle school, and I’m really cherishing the moments I’m experiencing here at Foothill because I know that there will never be another time like it. High school only comes once, so I will remember it all: the good and bad, the happy and sad, the peace and struggle. Life is good right now and it might never be this good again, so I don’t want to regret not treasuring this moment while it lasts. I don’t want make the same mistake as Darryl Partridge, a certified Ski instructor and Elementary Special Education Teacher who didn’t realize the importance of his legs until he was put on crutches for the rest of his life. Numerous ankle surgeries rendered his lower left leg useless, and now he has to deal with living life without both feet. In an article on the website lifebeyond4limbs, Partridge stated, “The healthy legs that I once took for granted are now considered every minute of my days.” He finds himself “still...feeling envious of people who seem to walk without giving it a thought.” See, most of us don’t even consider how important our legs are because we use them everyday. How can we not take them for granted if we always assume they will be there? That’s why we must learn from his experience and not take even the most basic things for granted.

That’s why I encourage you guys to find the things that make you happy and cherish them. Don’t be that person that realizes what they hold dear until it’s too late because the regret can be truly unbearable, as Partridge discovered. Take advantage of the advice he is offering so that you don’t make the same mistake as him. I certainly don’t want to feel the regret, so I will continue learning how to enjoy the treasures in life to their fullest extent. I hope you will too. Thank you.


 * Partridge, Darryl. "Taking Our Legs for Granted." //lifebeyond4limbs//. 2016. Web. 3 Jun 2016. **