Rose Speech


Today, I am given two roses. However, my appreciation for these two people runs far deeper than the soil they grew from. From the beginning of our interactions, they have supported me without question. Consoling me through my tears, celebrating my successes; and more or less taking away my car keys when I wouldn’t go to class. They both stood by me when I took an eternal vow, and both picked me up when I fell, broken, when it was destroyed. Both supported my interest in one of the best authors of our time. My early, abrupt transformation into adulthood was made manageable by them. When I dropped out, they were there. When I finally rose to the challenge, they were there. Never asking for anything in return but my happiness and well being. They’ve stood by me through high school, my marriage, my divorce, my tears, my laughter, all of my failures and success. They both offered and taught me acceptance. Accepting things for how they are, not what they were or could’ve been. It is they who taught me that through adversity, there is redemption. Now I present my roses to my Dad and Bryan.




Ben’s

I was thinking about who I would give my thanks to today. I can’t really pick two people who have helped me the most. Family is much more to me than the blood relatives. Family is the people you grow up with. This can mean any number of things, from diapers to tornados, as I learned today. These are the people you contact first and foremost in times of uncertainty. So today, I want to recognize my family. They have stood by me through the hardest of times, bullying, coming out, loss of love and hospital visits. They are the ones I didn’t forget about during times of joy. They are the rock to my free spirited air. And combined, with the waters of friendship and companionship, they have helped me create the rose I present them with today. So my first rose goes to my blood family, without whom I would not physically be here today, what with the whole needing them to be born and all. My second rose goes to my soul family, who have brought me to where I am today. So will Alli, Ron, Lucas, Brent, and Deb, my family, please come down and be recognized.