Thank You for My Voice

Thank You for My Voice

For the majority of my life, I strolled aimlessly wondering what my passion would be. A passion that no matter my age or limitations could prevent me from excelling in. A passion I could not go a day without thinking about. For four straight years this passions was high school wrestling. I dedicated my energy, time, and diet (most of the time) in order to be the best wrestler I could be. However once I graduated the training stopped. The love for the sport was still there but the passion faded. This, surprisingly, did not make me feel at all sorrowful. I couldn't feel such misery due to the people who gave me the greatest opportunity of them all. My athletic window closed but my door to passion opened. I found my voice. I found a way to escape from the Battlegrounds of everyday life, bunkered in a classroom armed with my pen and my pad. firing my thoughts through the pen, splattering the ink onto my canvas. I used to be a warrior. Going toe to toe with any opponent who would step on the mat. Now I'm an artist. Portraying my words in a poetic process stemming from the deep roots of my brain. I didn't find my voice on my own. 

Four people have granted me this amazing gift. All being experts on this art. The first person credited to my findings is David Foster Wallace. Not only is he an exceptional author he is a master in the art of “teaching you how to think.” The link at the bottom is a commencement speech from Wallace, explaining why it is so important on knowing how to think. His poetic and profound verses provide such a passionate lesson on how to think. Wallace was overwhelmed with the battlegrounds of life. despite his knowledge on how to think he was a victim of his own teachings. He passed away from suicide in 2008.  

The second person that introduced me to literature was John Keating. This iconic character played by Robin Williams showed me the true passions and art behind literature. The sincerity behind this character showed me that the most beautiful minds, are the ones who are most literate and poetic. Keating shows love and passion for writing and also love for his students. He is not just a teacher to these boys, he is a professor teaching the curriculum of life. 

The next two people are the teachers who promoted me from warrior to student, retiring my uniform and granting me my voice. 

Mr. Colletti, my eleventh grade english teacher was John Keating in real life. He made me see in different perspectives, write what I think, and he worried more about content than curriculum. This isn't poor teaching or incompetency. Its passion. Its real. Mr. Colletti introduced me to my voice, and for this I am forever grateful. There are class discussions and lessons I will always remember because it wasn't textbook teaching, it was art. This wasn't any class to me, this was the most important course I took in my entire high school career. This Man’s name will be remembered throughout the rest of my life. 

The final person who has taught me the value of literature is Professor McKelvey. Mr. Colletti Introduced me to my voice but McKelvey taught me style. I can communicate properly but to be able to make my words worth reading is a whole other story. McKelvey has been my professor for my last two English courses and I refuse to have any other professor teach me now. Writing is extremely important. 

I would love to slap a cliché dissolvable quote to express my love for this art but it wouldn't do it justice.

However, there is no other appropriate way to say 

Thank You for My Voice. 

Link to Commencement Speech: https://youtu.be/8CrOL-ydFMI