Looking Back
2022 Commencement Speech by Troi Kacsir
Graduating, as I’m sure many of us now realize, is a major milestone. We work for 13 years of our lives for this moment – a moment of immense pressure and of overwhelming nostalgia. Grappling with that nostalgia, we find ourselves looking back at those 13 years and asking some questions such as “How did I get here?”
My answer to this question comes from Deuteronomy 8 and verse 2. It says, “And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.”
I firmly believe it was the hand of the Lord who got us here in this arena tonight, and what a journey it has been. We have been tried, and humbled by our teachers, our classes, and our friends and now our hearts are revealed before this audience. Those of us standing here tonight are showing our loved ones that we possess spirits of drive, ambition, and dedication. For many of us, it has been an uphill climb to the top of this mountain, so I encourage you to enjoy the view, but do not forget the climb.
Looking back, we remember the parents, teachers, pastors, family members, and administrators who helped get us here. Many of you are here tonight, and I want to personally thank you. Thank you for every encouraging word, every extra hour given, every late-night message answered, and every perfectly-timed kick in the behind. We would not be here on this stage if not for your dedication to our futures.
Classmates, as we move forward, let us never forget to look back, remembering how we have grown, how fortunate we are to be here, and all those who have pushed us to be who we are today.