The man you see before you is not the same one that walked this same world a mere decade ago. Back in those days this man, or more accurately put, boy, was shy and the target of constant abuse by bullies. And when I say constant, I mean that this happened practically every day of my childhood life that I had to endure without any aid of the school’s faculty. In the last six years I have had to deal with the move of my father out of my life, and the loss of my hero; my grandfather. In front of you today, you see the result of being shaped by the hatred of fellow “pupils,” the immeasurable loss of loved ones, and the overbearing sense of loneliness in this world. You see a kind, sympathetic and loyal man. But, how? You may be wondering to yourself. Well, because I have faced these obstacles in life, and I have finally come to understand how to overcome them. Not through fighting hate with violence or sadness with even more tears; but, through compassion and the ability to stand tall and face my aggressors head on. Thanks to the events of my past, this is the man you see before you today. You see me.
