The Last Word

By Reuben Cook | Posted: Monday March 8, 2021

Today I'm going to start my last word a little differently from the classic.

For the last 5 years, I have sat in this auditorium listening to the same speech wondering when will this end. After being given the right to speak to you all today not knowing when I may again, only one topic felt suitable. Opportunity. The opportunity to talk from one brother to another.

Although talked about frequently it seems to pass by us faster than we imagine. Opportunities are things we sometimes do not realise at the time, caught up in our opinions and others that we look past the obvious. Many opportunities however are not so simple and require challenging yourself to venture outside of your comfort zone.

As we begin our school year there are always many unknowns, especially with the current climate of covid. We do not know when today could be one of our last to experience those things that mean so much to us. While sitting up in Twizel a few weeks ago during level 2, I was able to reflect on personal opportunities in the past, some I had taken and some I had missed. As I contemplated more and more I realised that nothing is more expensive than a missed opportunity. The feeling of not knowing what could have been is one of the worst. For me, I did not know if I would race again and that my season would be defined by what's behind me. Fortunately I was given the opportunity to race and made the most of it.

However, I do know myself that this is much easier said than done. So how do we make the most of our opportunities? Often we build walls instead of bridges or follow the path instead of making our own. Here we take the easy option, the one that requires no risk. On your journey there are going to be things you can't control and things you can, it is these controlables that matter. It is up to you to shape your story, so take those risks, live in the moment and take what's in front of you. Because before you know it will be gone.

Nobody will remember the guy who made excuses or gave up when something did not suit. The difference is some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen and others make it happen. Each and every boy in this auditorium has been given an opportunity to live a normal-ish life this year in New Zealand, so what are you going to do? If there is one opportunity I would like you to take today let it be to remember this quote.

'One day your life will flash before your eyes, Make sure it's worth watching.'