Gabriel Aiello:  

MY story is also the story of Gabriel's Bar and Restaurant-- that story is on the internet at GabrielsBarAndRest .com THIS story is the speech I delivered when I was invited back to West Milford High School as the Distinguished Honored Guest Speaker at the 2007 West Milford Graduation: Good Afternoon Superintendent Glenn Kamp, Principal Bernstock, Faculty, Friends, Parents, and most especially, the Graduating Class of 2007. I remember sitting in your seat, it was 1977, 30 years ago. We were the first graduating class of the New High School. Never in a million years did I think that in 2007 I'd be here speaking to you. But I'm very honored to have this opportunity. At the end of this ceremony everyone here will get up off their chairs and go greet their parents, friends, siblings, grandparents etc and get hugs, pats on the back and congratulations... not to mention a killer party! I'm sure you all can't wait for this ceremony to be over. But realize when you get out of that chair you're sitting in, the rest of your life begins and you'll all make your way down different paths. Now... I'm not entirely up to date on what classes are required for you West Milford Students these days. Back in my day, music education was a requirement. Every student had to try out as a singer. My music teacher at the time listened to me sing about two bars and told me "STOP! Gabriel, in life you only have to be good at one thing. I don't know what your thing is, but music is NOT it." So ok, check, Music is not my thing. But what was my thing? And how was I supposed to find out? This is probably a question that is facing a lot of you. Most of you have picked a college to attend next year. You probably agonized over where to go, what college would be best for what you want to do, what you could afford and a myriad of other issues. Now you're set to start somewhere in the fall and soon the school will be looking at you asking you to declare your major. Well don't freak out yet! You have your 20s to make your mistakes. (Just don't go into debt doing it!). There's a lot of pressure on you, but I want to offer you some time. Take your time to figure out who you are and what you want to do. Many of you probably have a good idea of it already. When I was 18 I thought I wanted to be a comedy writer...but spelling was a bit of an issue there. Another part of me wanted to be in the hospitality industry, though it never crossed my mind that I could own a restaurant...in my family we were always eating leftovers...and the jury is still out on what the original meal was! Plus, my group was the type that yelled "yahtzee!" for no apparent reason, and thought professional wrestling was real! So I started slow; in college...Expand for more