Julia the Orator

On Thursday, my baby sister graduated from junior high. Before you stop reading because you assume this is just a post for the sake of journaling, let me tell why I'm writing it. 

Because Julia is an all-around amazing person, she was able to give a speech at her graduation ceremony. I am writing about it because her words were so good and true. When I think about graduation speeches (especially the junior high variety), I tend to think of cliches, email forwards, and corny song lyrics. I don't usually pay close attention.

BUT

My dad got Julia's speech on video, and after making her audience laugh a little, her words struck a cord with me. Her speech was called "Be You Anyway". These are the parts I needed to hear, and I think some of you might need to hear them too.

~~~

"People will spite you, want to change you, and even hate you. BE YOU ANYWAY. Do good anyway. Love anyway. And shine anyway. The world will try to change you and break you. Stay strong to who you are. Change the world, but don't let it change you."

"I was not made to fail....You were not made to fail....Take those opportunities that challenge and push you to make you the best you can possibly be."

"Be YOU anyway. Change the world anyway."

~~~

She delivered well. She was practiced and emphatic. I almost expected her to close "In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen", rather than with, "If you believe in this pass it on to at least five people in the next five minutes or you'll have bad luck for twenty years!!!"

I thought it was a great message, especially for eighth graders in a tough world. 

And especially for adults who are struggling to be who the world wants them to be, losing touch with their deepest selves, the parts of their personalities that make them interesting and unique and free and lovable.

Thanks, Jules, for sharing your grown up thoughts with the world and trying to make your friends better. They listen to you. They look to you. 

And now for some straight up bragging about my littlest sister...

JULIA is the most impressive fourteen-year-old you will ever meet. She earned the highest GPA in the school, a 4.63 average over the three years. Did you even know that was possible? She received the "Most Outstanding Student" award at graduation because she is the best all around at pretty much everything. 

She rocked in volleyball, basketball, and track for the school this year, as well as tennis and softball in years past. She was a cheerleader. She was on student council, even serving as class president one year. She tutored classmates in math because she finished Geometry before she even finished eighth grade. She played percussion in the school band, and sang and danced in their performance choir. She is an amazing pianist and gymnast. 

She has high moral standards and great spiritual strength. She has opinions and personality. Even at fourteen, she still asks me to create treasure hunts for her birthday party every year, and she still wants kisses on the lips from her parents and sisters. She is friends with everyone. She is kind-hearted, and she is SO much fun. She can do a perfect impression of The Target Lady from SNL, and she can shake her little booty like no other white girl anywhere. 

The male and female "Most Outstanding Students" PJH 2012.
They happen to be very good friends.

How do I make a child like this? How do I raise my babies to be like her? Could anyone be more proud as a parent?

This is my Baby Julia making cookies with me at Christmas time, 2005. She was seven years old then. She was getting ready to be the flower girl at my wedding. This picture is all smudged and splattered because for a long time I stuck it to the backsplash of my kitchen. It reminded me how fun baking can be when you have a helper. She lights up everything she takes part in.

Now that I'm all pumped up with sister pride, I guess I can kind of understand why my mom's license plate the says "JULSMOM", even though she has four other children. I get it, Mom. We can't compete with that girl. Better to not even mention us.