Speech

I had to take off the teacher mask, which so many of us put on at the beginning; the mask that says: 'Well, I'm the teacher and I know it all. You sit there and I'll tell you.'

From fear to freedom. That's it. To free yourself of the stuff that's been imposed on you.

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.

Graduation is a time for us to celebrate all of our achievements, but don't stop there. Don't forget to dream big, go far, and never stop learning.

You know you have a Vincentian heart when you see hope where others feel despair, and light where others see only darkness.

Most people are just about as happy as they make up their minds to be. Delaying happiness along with gratification is quite another thing, because each milestone along your path ought to have its own form of happiness.

Between chutzpah and humility lies success. The biggest killer of a good mind is to stick it in a fat head.

Failure is merely a dress rehearsal for future success. The strength of your character comes not from how you react to your successes, but from how you react to your failures.

Following that dream, listening to that little voice, does not guarantee success. Luck is an ingredient not to be overlooked.

Be kind to others. This is the conclusion of the wise old man on top of the mountain.

Simplify, slow down, be kind. And don't forget to have art in your life — music, paintings, theater, stains and sunsets.

We are all mortal. What divides us is the use we make of the time and opportunities we have.