“True love is friendship -- caught on fire.”

Remember yourself years ago. Think about the people you loved, the memories you cherished, and the feelings that created the fragile fabric of your existence. Embrace that recollection. Hold it close to your heart, feel its comfort, and embody those transgressions.

Now look at where you are now. Appreciate the stepping stones of life that lead you to stand where you are today. Acknowledge that everything happens for a reason, and that "chance" played no role in the creation of your being.

I am able to stand before you today, as the person I am, because of my past experiences. Be they good or bad, each and every single moment shaped my future. Tonight I cleansed my soul, in an attempt to forever immortalize those memories.

Moments ago I sat on my back porch, with my best friend by my side, and together we torched every remaining pentacle of my high school career. Wide eyed and weary, we watched as each individual photograph dissipated in a nostalgia induced cloud of smoke.

No one can change who we were. No one can manipulate or distort those moments, they are forever a part of who we are. What remains is left up to fate.