Carpio, Jon Marvick ACT182 Advance Communication

Pen and Prayer

Good morning, everyone. It is my greatest pleasure to speak in front of this crowd.

Before anything else, I just want to share with you what I have realized this morning.

When I woke up this morning, I had my greatest realization in life. I had realized how
cute the ants were when they were on a dead cockroach (yeah, boodle fight). I took that as a
sign not to go to school so I don’t have to make this nasty speech, but I guess, things will not
always fall like the way we want them to be. Right, guys?

From the very first day, we were asked the most frequently asked question in a slam
book page, “What is our motto in life?”. Most of you were taken seriously but mine was not.
When I was asked what my motto in life is, I said, “Always bring a pen.” Some laughed including
the professor for they might think that was a joke. Unfortunately, it is not. Since then, you
might have known me as the guy who never forgets his pen.

*insert mini skit*

Now you might wonder, how and why did I come up with that motto. Why am I always
bringing my pen?

Let us put it in this way. What if you were late on a Tuesday or Thursday, the time is
around 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM, you have a quiz but you forgot to bring your pen. You don’t have
any extra pen, neither does all of your classmates. What will happen to you? What if you went
to school earlier than the call time because you have to take the departmental exam but
unfortunately, you forgot to bring a pen. What will happen to you? What if there’s a specific
and a very important moment in your life, and you forgot your pen, do you think you could
make it this far? How far can you go?

They say, pen is mightier than the sword. In that statement, pen was symbolized as a
powerful weapon. A weapon you can use to defend yourself from threats. A weapon that can
help you find opportunities and take them. A weapon you possess that can help you maximize
your strengths and overcome your weaknesses.
 Imagine this; do you think Rizal could wake the fire up inside the Filipinos’ heart if he
had forgotten to bring his pen?

The bottom line of this motto is to always be prepared. Both opportunities and threats
are just around the corner. They will come at you at anytime you don’t expect and you must
always bring your weapon.

A single pen may have different meanings depending on how you see it. Now, who
among here uses a Panda, Pilot, HBW, Faber Castell, G-tech? * get a sample *

I have here a G-tech. What makes a G-tech so special and above from other pens that
made you choose them? Price? Brand? Label? The 0.3cm ball point? What? *drop*

When I “accidentally” dropped this pen, many of you were shocked, wailed, lamented
and say, nanghinayang. Why? Because it might be broken, or will not be able to write and lose
its purpose?

This pen symbolizes some of us. We may feel delighted, uplifted and superior every time
we get a high score in exams and activities we do. And that will our parents, professors, friends
and classmates to look up on us. You might want to ask yourself what made you so special and
above from others? Grades? Name? How the society sees and label you or what the people
around you expects you to be? Yes, expectations from your parents, professors, friends and
classmates.

But what if, suddenly, you “accidentally” dropped? Bumagsak ka, because of
shortcomings? How will you react? No, how will the people, people who have set expectations
towards you, would react? You know this, many of them will be in shock, wailed, lamented and
say, nanghihinayang. Worse, they will feel angry because you failed to reach their expectations
and will pity you because you might be now broken, useless and have lost your purpose.

Do you believe that all pens are special and unique and useful depending on how you
label them? All of them have the same purpose, and it is to write.

Would you like to be an expensive G-tech that was labeled by the society as superior
than the others but drop it once, the pen’s purpose is gone; or a this ordinary pen that when
dropped, just give it a tap, and it will be okay?

I am not telling you that it is wrong to be a “G-tech”. I am telling you that it is okay to be
an ordinary pen. An ordinary pen that can write extraordinary things regardless of the brand,
price and label.
 I am telling you that it is okay to be an ordinary student. An ordinary student that can
make extraordinary things to happen regardless of what your environment expects you to be.

Prayer

*flash screen (PSST)*

I want you all to take a look at the screen and I want you all to remember it. Okay?

Now going back, just to make it clear, extraordinary things are things done with much
perseverance, determination, conviction, passion, breakdowns, dedications and many, many
more. In short, it is difficult to do extraordinary things. It may seem impossible but believe me,
it is not. You just need to strive for, just like what they say, “Strive for excellence for the glory of
God.”

Yes, God. God is faith and yes, extraordinary things require faith. If you have faith, you
will be now able to make extraordinary things. But don’t get me wrong. Faith doesn’t make
things easy, it makes things possible.

When you woke up this morning, did you have your greatest realization in life? Have you
realized how cute the ants were when they were feeding on a dead cockroach? Did you take
that as a sign not to go to school so you don’t have to make things you really don’t feel like
doing and realized that things will not always fall like the way you want them to be?

Have you ever experienced waking up so drained and you go to school for the results of
the latest Deptals you took and you witnessed that you have failed, again? Most of your
classmates show happiness on their faces but you’re just there sitting silently asking yourself,
“Why did I fail even though I spent all night studying? What is the purpose of my existence?
Why am I doing here?” and you feel like giving up.

If yes, I want to share with you something. Do you know how to determine whether a
gold is purified or not? They are tested by fire. That symbolizes us, we are gold. And in order for
us to be purified, we are tested by fire but it still requires faith. Just like what is written in 1
Peter 1:7, These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and
purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold.

Thus, if you ever come again to a point where you feel like nothing, just remember
PSST! Pray Silently, Solemnly, and Truthfully!

Imagine yourself taking a quiz and suddenly you forgot everything you have read? What
will you do? You must calm down and PSST! Pray Silently, Solemnly and Truthfully!
 I hope I was able to touch your hearts and I hope you all learn something from today’s
lessons. If not, just pretend and PSST! Pray Silently, Solemnly and Truthfully!