To our dearest principal, Dr. Alice P.

Blas, to our beloved department head, teachers and to my fellow students, good morning! It is indeed a highly privileged for me and I must declare that I am overwhelmed by this inspiring weather. Never before within the thoughts of mine to give Welcome Speech in front of the crowd but seems history will change, as we gathered here to celebrate and to commemorate the International Year of Reconciliation. Ladies and Gentlemen, let me ask you a question, what comes into our mind as you hear the word forgiveness? There are a lot of things that queries our mind as we hear the word forgiveness, questions that we cannot answer in one single thought. Is it good to forgive or not? Is vengeance the only way to find peace and justice? Why do people forgive sinners even they wounded us so deep? An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth , is a famous line during the time of Hammurabi. It pertains to the consequences a crook should face when he get caught in crime. But since we are in the modern time, though there are some who still practiced this kind of tradition, nowadays, laws and officials are the one who lay down the punishment to the criminals. However, do we still have to put it on the long run? Why can t we just give them another chance to change or just forget what they ve done? I know that it s not easy but what can we do? Can we cease the time if it s already destined to happen? Are we powerful enough to turn back the time? Yes, it requires a lot of time. Perhaps it will take months, years or even a decade for a wounded heart to heal. But for what I believe, acceptance is the only way and the key to understand the world why people think it is unfair. Through the openness of one s mind and heart, we learn to forget and forgive others, no matter how heavy their sin is. Good to forgive. Best to forget , a quote from the famous writer, Robert Browning. Through forgiving, our body and soul will be cleansed from the negative vibes due to hatredness and bitterness we feel. We may be able to attain the peaceful and harmonious life we are dreaming. In the course of forgetting, we learn to set free our mind from jailing it from our past and we learn to move forward to our future.I

believe that forgiving will just be easy once you re willing to live in a state of peace instead of pain and bereavement. Remember also that God has done the same thing. Without him, don t you think mankind will have their salvation? He saves and forgives us from our sins even though we neglect Him. Or perhaps, people loved to plant a wrath and sullenness in their heart that boosts them to revenge to their enemies. As if God aims that way to us. Bear in mind that forgiveness is an act of faith and self love.
And, yes, an act of Divine calling on the Divinity inside each one of us that we absolutely deserve the chance to do better. Theres always a room for grace to enter, room for healing, peace, love joy and freedom if we dont let the sun go down on our wrath and if we let Gods hands touch our hearts.