Vineta+S’s+Final+AmEx+Speech+2017

I wish people were happy for no reason, because that reason can never be taken away from them.

I wish happiness was more abundant to others, and that it wasn’t so difficult for them to find. That they could be easily amused, content with the most minuscule of things. I wish that even the minuscule things were seen as equally important as the monumental things. That a ladybug upon a white clover is just as special as a king upon a throne. That a simple star or smile could have the power of ten-thousand horses. That happiness and joy and bliss could be found in all the corners and cracks of the world, if only one notices them. I wish these sorts of things were paid attention to.

I wish everyone was inherently good, and that not a single bad bone existed in any of our bodies. If only hate could be entirely unknown, and an urge of violence or sadism was nonexistent. What drives us to malintention and cruelty? I wish I could know.

I wish political debates could become political discussions. In order for that to be true, I wish that everyone would be respectful, open minded, patient, accepting, and willing to compromise. Too often are disputes born from a lack of these traits. Disputes then turn to quarrels, quarrels into fights, and sadly we have seen when this level of violence results in a loss of lives. I wish Americans wouldn’t discriminate against other human beings based on what the color of their skin is, where they come from, what gender they are, what their sexual preference is, how physically and mentally able they are, how much money they have, what their opinions are, or for any reason at all. Not to be dismissive, but none of that matters. I wish people could look beyond their differences and empathize with one another for what we are: humans. Living creatures who can breathe and communicate and love, all born on the same earth under the same sun and moon and stars. I wish we could all step away from the entitlement and love each other just the same.

I wish that we could all be more self-reliant and self-satisfied. So that we could make ourselves feel more happy and loved than anyone else could. That a teenage girl doesn't depend on a swarm of five more girls to accompany her to the bathroom. That when found in a situation where we are by ourselves, instead of plugging our noses in our phones we turn to a book or a bug or a bird. That being alone doesn't make you lonely.

I wish that to those which money matters so much, always striving to have the most of it and spend the least of it, will someday soon realize that it costs zero dollars, and zero cents, to be happy and kind, and neither a dime nor a nickel must be spent to spread that happiness and kindness. It takes absolutely nothing to be a good person. So why, then, are we all not the best people we can be? I wish they would know that things such as happiness and love and health and peace are immeasurably more important than anything any currency can purchase.

I wish everyone was conscious of their material impact on the world and be less wasteful. And that the same amount of waste we create would be turned into something new to be used again. I wish the attention of engineering and technology could be diverted to finding more renewable solutions to these issues rather than hoverboards and vape mods but alas, what say do I have in that matter? I wish that we would all bite off only as much as we can chew, literally, so that hundreds of thousands of food establishments wouldn't have to throw away tons of untouched food daily. I wish everyone could clean up after themselves. For all the trash that has been left on the ground, glanced at, and ignored to instead be taken care of. Close your eyes for a second, and imagine just how much more beautiful our land could be if everyone picked up one piece of garbage and disposed of it properly. I wish everyone could understand that caring for the environment isn't a hobby, but a necessary duty we all have as inhabitants of this planet.

I wish we all weren’t so serious and shy. I wish we could laugh and dance and sing and whistle and tech deck through the halls at school whenever we wanted, without worrying about what other people thought of us. I wish we were lighthearted and laughing often, but also in touch with our feelings, and able to cry as much as we need to without feeling ashamed. I wish we weren’t told what road to take or life-changing decisions to make by people who think they know and understand what is best for us, better than we know ourselves. If Robert Frost took the road less traveled by, then so can we. And that, will make all the difference. I wish we could trust in each other more, and uphold that trust, so that we can whisper our secrets to each other without the fear of feigning friends becoming faulty foes. So that we can confess our thoughts and feelings to another without fear of judgement. I wish we all talked less, and listened more. I wish we all complained less, and appreciated more.

This speech is full of “I wish”s. A girl like me can only hope and dream of these things to come true, and maybe with my kind of optimism they can. These are the “I wish”s that occupy my mind when I blow the tufts off a dandelion, or admire the firstborn star of each early night, or extinguish the flames from atop a birthday cake. I don't wish for a new phone, or car, or a gift card to Patagonia. I wish for every broken heart to find love again but from within itself, I wish for my dad’s tired knees to stop giving him so much pain, I wish for Mother Nature to be more cared for and nourished for, I wish for my dog to forever remain in the mindset of a puppy even though the white hairs on his chin prove otherwise, I wish for every sad soul to find at least one reason to smile each day, I wish for eternal peace, love, and happiness, and I wish to grow up in an America where this could all happen. I wish for nothing but the best.