Since it’s graduation season, wise counsel is typically given by commencement speakers.
One commencement speaker in particular, though, became well-known for the speech she delivered to her pupils.
Lydia Owens, the Woodmont High School valedictorian from Piedmont, South Carolina, fearlessly included her faith into her speech.She gave an example of a difficulty she had and how she overcame it to get where she was in the beginning of her speech.
She remarked, “You are so much more than how well you perform. “What happens when you fail if you put your identity in what you do and think you’re only good enough if you succeed?” Owens inquired. “What happens when you don’t have a lot of money or friends?”
When Owens’ mother, whom she viewed as her best friend, died two years ago, she allegedly experienced a “reality check.”
“My grades or my accomplishments did not help me get through that loss when tragedy struck my life.”
The one person I could rely on to remain the same while everything else in my life felt unsure was Jesus.
Owens told WHNS that her mother served as her greatest source of motivation and that she “always encouraged me in my faith.”
I have such a strong faith because of her. She set the bar high for what it meant to be a godly woman and to purposefully love others.
The youngster continued by saying that after losing her mother, her idea of achievement “dramatically changed, because I realized that the many years I spent believing that my worth was derived from my academics meant nothing at all in eternity.”
I felt Lydia’s speech was outstanding even if it wasn’t your typical valedictorian speech. We gained a fresh perspective on what success is, as well as how much pressure we put on ourselves to achieve.
