Nick’s Sword:

Presented at the Olive Garden Restaurant 10 May 2003

As a measure of the importance of your achievement, family members have traveled here from

Los Angeles, Tucson, and Northern Virginia.

Nicholas, we Finches have gathered here to honor you and applaud you on the occasion of

your graduation from the University.

You have made it through Virginia Tech largely by your own efforts, and have paid much

of the bill yourself. You have matured into an honest, straightforward, and decent young adult

and you are your own man. You have maintained a high grade point average and have begun to

develop a professional reputation as an engineer. We are more than just proud of you, you have

added value to our lives and to the lives of many of your friends. We applaud you.

[Applause]

The movie Braveheart details some of the life of William Wallace. It tells a story of

courage, perseverance, and strength of conviction. William Wallace was also his own

man and a man of considerable integrity. He was a leader of his time and his contributions

are known to us 800 years later. In his time, he sought to make life better for others,

to take a stand for his beliefs, and to make the world a better place.

We are very proud of you and would like to present you with something, some symbol

that will convey our appreciation, and commemorate this event. I know you have long held

a fascination with medieval weaponry and especially the sword. The sword is a symbol

of honor, of integrity, of courage, of justice and righteousness; it is also recognition of

authority. Knighthood is conferred by kings using a sword, which touches each shoulder

of the candidate. In the hands of a knight the sword becomes a symbol of protection

and its power is transmuted from a weapon of war to instrument of peace and guardian

of prosperity. As you have now graduated, and are beginning your life as an engineer,

we would like to present you with an exact replica of the William Wallace “Braveheart”

sword as a symbol of your own courage and tenacity.

I am so very proud of you.

[The Sword was presented by his Mother.]

Dad =J