The INSPIRING Story of ICARUS.

[0:00]I'm not sure how many of you are familiar with Greek mythology, but my favorite myth is the story of Icarus. Icarus was the son of Daedalus, a brilliant inventor. The two were imprisoned on an island, and to escape their captivity, Daedalus crafted wings made of feathers and wax. But before they took off, he warned his son, Don't fly too high or the sun will melt the wax. Don't fly too low or the sea will swallow you. Stay in the middle, stay safe. But once Icarus took flight, soaring through the sky, wings stretched wide, the world open beneath him, something changed. He didn't want to stay in the middle. He wanted to know what it meant to fly. So he soared higher and higher straight towards the sun. And yes, the wax melted, the feathers came apart, and he fell. But here's what they don't tell you. Icarus didn't scream, he didn't regret, but he laughed. He laughed as he fell, for he knew that to fall is to once have soared. And there's a kind of bitter triumph in crashing when you're supposed to be soaring. Something victorious in reaching past your limits, even if it costs you something. But in that moment, Icarus had lived fully and touched something extraordinary, something worth falling for. And I love this story because to me, it's not about failure, it's about living. And I think a lot of us have spent our time in school doing exactly what Daedalus warned, staying in the middle. You know, playing it safe, following the rules, flying just high enough. But the future belongs to those willing to shape it. And yes, you may face uncertainty, failure and doubt, but you will also find strength, clarity and resilience. And if there's anything I hope you take with you from today, from this speech, from this school, from my fortune or from Icarus, it's this. Don't live life trying to avoid the fall. And remember Icarus, not as a warning, but the kid who looked at the sun and said what if? The one who didn't settle for escaping, but wanted to feel everything. So when you step on to this next chapter in your life, I hope that you don't hold back. I hope you reach for the sun, just like Icarus. Fly too high, love too much, care too deeply, and laugh too loudly. And if you fall, laugh as you fall, because that's how you know you are really flying. Thank you and congratulations, class of 2025.