Quotation Speech Essay, Research Paper

Quotation Speech

Harvey Fierstein once said ?Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one?s definition of your life; define yourself.? Only you can define yourself . . . there?s something so special about that concept; something so intimate about the fact that only you can control your destiny. You choose what weaknesses you?re going to overcome what strengths you will allow to flourish. We are set into this world, this fast-paced world full of good and bad. There are so many opportunities and yet so many setbacks. Only you can decide whether to find the good in things or the bad. Oh to be a pessimist or an optimist . . . that is the question.

In a way, we are always our parent?s child, but along with that we are so much more. And yes our friends can influence our decisions, but we were the ones who chose those friends and who still choose to associate with them. It?s all about choices and all of these choices create our daily lives . . . What are my priorities? Who are my friends? Where am I going? What are my dreams? And am I going to fulfill them? Big decisions . . . Who am I going to marry? What are my expectations for my husband? Or small decisions . . . What am I wearing today? Or what am I going to eat? Yes they may seem insignificant, but all those choices and decisions, obstacles, challenges, failures, and accomplishments are defining you whether you realize it or not. And the point is . . . realize it! Don?t wander through life with no direction, no drive, and no aspirations.

Enjoy yourself. YOUR SELF. Once again only you know how to do that. Whether you take a walk, lend a hand, take a road trip to see an old friend, read a book, share a hug, listen to a thunderstorm. Do it because you want to. So many people blame their insecurities, their weaknesses, because they were victimized. But so much of being a victim lies in the victim?s hand long before they bear that title. So ?don?t allow that to happen.? And in order for that not to happen you must speak out and speak up for yourself. ?Do not be bullied into that silence.?

Don?t forget however in the midst of all this defining that you can?t just think of yourself, for even though you shouldn?t ?accept anyone?s definition of your life? . . . even though you will never settle with what someone else thinks of you . . . You are defining yourself to others in your actions towards them; the compassion you exercise . . . whether or not you listen or just hear . . . care or just act.

So with all this in mind be thankful for all that?s around you; thankful for all the opportunities and exciting choices and decisions you get to make and then watch them shape your life. Even be thankful for the hard decisions and obstacles because if your heart is right, they?ll shape your life right. And always be thankful for the knowledge that was shared with you for you know now that you don?t have to settle; and you don?t have to and hopefully won?t accept that other person?s synopsis of your life, and you won?t be victimized, you won?t be silenced, but will take this chance at life to define yourself. How? Well of course, only you know that.