Claire+B’s+Final+AmEx+2014+Speech

=Title of Speech=

"Appreciate What You Have"

=Text of Speech=

It was basically a slap in the face to me when just the other day my Dad said that my grandma probably wouldn’t make it to Christmas, and it would be a miracle if she did. It made me realize how limited my time was with her, something that I had never been faced with before. When you’re living in the now, you never really think about having to lose your grandma, grandpa, mom, dad, or sibling; and it just seems like it’s going to be that way forever. But, it’s not.  When my dad gave me this news, it gave me a flashback to when my Great Grandma Clara died. Even though I was young when she passed, I still remember my grandpa asking if I wanted to visit her with him, and each time I would deny his request because of my adventures on Zoo Tycoon, or “I just had something better to do.” And then when she died, I felt so guilty. I felt guilty that I couldn’t comfort her anymore, and that I hadn’t spent as much time with her as I could, and should have. That I couldn’t tell her I loved her one last time. So it’s my goal to inspire you a little to go the extra mile take advantage of what you have.  It’s worth it to visit and listen to the insight your grandparents and other respected people have in your life. Don’t just blow them off because Call of Duty is so much cooler or because you need to take a pic that will get a 150+ likes on instagram. Because when it comes to the end of the day, the people around you aren’t expendable. They won’t be there forever, so appreciate the time that you have with them, and make the most of it. It took going down the hard path for me to realize that, and I’m hoping that maybe I can save you all from making the same mistake I did.  It’s really not that hard. Now, I’m not saying to go have tea parties with your grandparents after school every day, but spend a few hours a week or every month just visiting with them and talking. I’m sure that they will absolutely enjoy it, and that in the long run you can look back on what you did and feel good about yourself. Take time to listen to what they have to say to you, because even though “The Good Ol’ Days” might not sound that appealing to you, it’s definitely got some lessons to be learned that a few kids nowadays could use.  In a way, I feel like our generation has become a little bit too detached for my liking. Sometimes we have our priorities screwed up, and it’s time to make them right again. And even though no one is going to be perfect, we really should all try to at least take a step back on our lives and look at all the blessed opportunities we have. All the time I hear students my age saying how much they hate school, or some stupid test. We don’t even stop to think that some other kid prays every night to even get the opportunity to attend school. This is why I think listening to an older generation would give the younger generation a perspective and insight that they wouldn’t have before. To learn to appreciate what they have, and respect themselves. Let’s not just assume we have a right to everything. We are all very privileged in what we have, and we shouldn’t take advantage of that.  So often when we turn on the news, something bad is being reported: A shooting somewhere, a natural disaster, a crime. However, it is precisely because of these problems that we should be focusing on feeling thankful. It’s so easy to blame everything on someone else, and forget about the many good things we so often take for granted. We all have something to be thankful for. We have so many loving people surrounding us, and always someone to turn to in a bad time. I don’t know about all of you, but it makes me feel good inside to thank someone, let them know that they made your day better, even if it’s just by holding a door open. And to be thanked back for the things you do makes you realize that you’re appreciated, and not ignored.  In the America I grow old in, I wish to see kids appreciating all that they have and the family that surrounds them. In order to gain respect, you must give it. And this does not only apply to family, but appreciating everything you have reachable at the tips of your fingers. Because we are not entitled to these things. All of us here are blessed to go to Foothill and receive the best of the best education that we could get, and be able to go off to a great college which would lead to a successful life and career. In the America I grow old in, I want to see these traits in my children, grandchildren, so on and so forth. I want them to love life and appreciate everything in it. Thank you. =Cite Your Sources= - http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/biblestudyandtheology/discipleship/halter_alwaysthankful.aspx - my intellectual knowledge - Mr Geib