CSAB COLLEGE OF NURSING LITERARY MUSICAL: ORATION

When a hen lays her eggs, she does not know what will happen to them will they hatch, will they be able to fly, or will they be another omelette. Honorable judges, fellow Augustinians, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. A very popular contemporary brilliant movie I am sure most of us here have watched is the 3 Idiots. It is a story about three Indian college engineering students who struggled to finish degree in a prestigious university in the middle of their own personal battles. Let me tell you the story. On their first day, the harsh and ruthless president of the university during their orientation used the analogy of the eggs to present to the freshmen the unforgiving policies of the university and the environment outside. Some eggs will live to survive, some wont. The whole movie then dwell on the separate lives of the three and how they desperately conquered all the tests academic and life in general. One being born to a poverty-stricken family whose only escape depends on his success in engineering; the other one locked in his fathers dream for him and the third fulfilling the dream of others. Indeed, the analogy of the eggs is a comical translation but the truth within is real. Our lives here in Colegio San Augustine may not be as austere as in the movie but by staying here we are all trained to discover our potentials and take rooting from within. In St. Augustines wisdom he instilled in us the virtue of interiority. That is to be able to know oneself and use everything that we are to be better. To plant our seed and grow steadfast. When our roots have been implanted firmly on the ground, we move and follow where the sun is. We follow the bright side, we thread through betterment. We are nourished with water, we gain grounds and position ourselves. We stand up for what is real, for what is right. We live the Augustinian core values of truth, unity and charity. These three are the vertebrae of an Augustinian and make an him strong amidst the winds and tides of time. It is in our belief of these three that we grow straight and be a shade and support for others. And when we are ready, when we are strong enough, we soar like an eagle. We rise above the clouds, we live the dream and chase the endless horizon, testing our skills and strengths for as long as we live and as vast as the skies. As Augustinians, when we are born in this institution of Catholic Christian community we are like those eggs. We are yet to find out when well ever hatch. We find roots from our mentors, we are rooted on the core values that are taught to us and most importantly, we are embedded with the fertile spirit of pursuing ones mission in life on the way to God. When we hatch and we learn our potentials, we are

exploring ourselves and start to step to become what we ought to be. And finally when all of us are capable, our Alma Mater send us to spread our wings and soar like the Eagle. The kind of life we make depends on our attitude. And our attitude depends on our beliefs and virtues. As Augustinians, we are guided by the morals we learn from our patron. There will be instances when we will be put to tests. The tree will have storms, drought and flood but our inner strength will always see us through. Our strength will manifest the greatness of our roots. Our trunk as sturdy as the rock and then we grow with arms spread to heaven. Going back on the movie, at the end of it, it gave justice on all the characters. One reached his dream, the other pursued his dream and abandon his fathers dream for him, and the third guy, accomplished the dream of another person but never forgot his own dreams and the dreams of the many. When we are hatched as an Augustinian, we may not know what to do. But we take roots, gain grounds and definitely soar high.