short speech on service

Memorial Service Readings (With Full Samples)

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Memorial service readings are tributes offered to loved ones to celebrate their lives, honor their memories, and recognize their achievements. If you're not feeling confident in your ability to write a speech, these printable samples can be used with minimal changes.

Samples of Readings for Funeral Services

To use any of the samples of readings for memorial services provided, click on the image of the speech that sounds right for your occasion. From there you can download and print for personal use. If you have any trouble with the samples, check out this helpful guide .

• What to Say in Funeral Thank You Notes: Examples, Tips, and Etiquette
• Simple Graveside Service Program Templates & Outline

Sample Celebration of Life Reading

If you plan to read a speech at a Celebration of Life memorial service, this sample is the perfect start. The speech calls on those in attendance to remember the loved one for his achievements and use him as inspiration for their lives. To customize you'll need to change the name used in the example and add any specifics about your friend's personality if desired.

Funny Sample Memorial Reading

If you or the deceased are known for a great sense of humor, a funny speech might be appropriate. Her Life Was Like a Box of Chocolates is a short speech inspired by the famous line from the movie Forrest Gump. Friends and family will have a laugh as you read off all the ways your friend was similar to the candies in those classic holiday chocolate boxes. To personalize the sample you'll need to change the name used as well as add specifics about your friend's personality.

Sentimental Speech Memorial Service Sample

When you want a more serious tone, sentimental speeches are ideal. This type of speech is good for services taking place soon after a death. The atmosphere will be solemn and people will appreciate some sympathy . Insert your memories of time with your friend and change the name to use the example as your speech.

Sample Readings for Funeral Services

In addition to the editable speeches above, there are more readings or poems you can borrow to customize what you'll say at a memorial service.

• Nothing Gold Can Stay - A short, classic poem by Robert Frost about how the beautiful things in nature never last forever.
• Do Not Stand At My Grave and Weep - This famous poem, by Mary Elizabeth Frye, provides comfort through a spiritual, yet nondenominational, view of death.
• Psalm 23 - Also known as The Valley of the Shadow of Death reading from the New International Version of the Bible, this Psalm reminds listeners there is nothing to fear when God is by your side.
• John 6:35-40 - This is a popular Bible verse about connecting with Jesus and God on one's final day.

Memorial Service Prayers

Memorial service prayers can help you honor someone who has passed away. Consider using a prayer for the memorial service to convey how much the deceased individual meant to you. To find the right prayer, take your time and select one that captures the essence of the deceased individual. Some options include:

• Memorial Prayer Cards - A site that offers poems and prayers in English and Spanish, along with traditional Irish blessing options.
• Boakes Funeral Home - A site that has a large supply of religious and non-religious poem and prayer options to select from.
• Natural Endings - A site that has many religious and non-religious readings and prayers for memorial services.

Tips for Selecting a Memorial Service Reading

Memorial service readings can be formal and pre-written or casual and spontaneous as inspired by the mood and atmosphere. If your loved one has recently passed , the attendees may still be mourning the loss. In this case, consider the memorial service a formal event. If a lot of time has passed since the death of your loved one, you may regard the evening as a celebration rather than a somber affair. Be sensitive to the needs of your attendees, and aim to capture the spirit of the one you are remembering using their personality, religious beliefs and lifestyle as a guide.

• The first and most important step when choosing the materials you plan to read is to follow the wishes of the deceased. If your loved one has selected a poem or scripture, use that in conjunction with a corresponding introduction and closing.
• A lengthy reading is not required. In this case, it's better to be brief. Reserve time for guests to share memories, music, and leave a few moments for silent reflection.
• Your introduction often sets the tone for the service, so choose your words carefully.
• Offer a prayer or kind word for those in attendance, acknowledging their grief and expressing your gratitude.

In addition, you might choose to appoint a eulogist to present the reading. If the service is religious, choose a priest or other clergy. If you choose to open the floor to guests, allowing them to share memories or prayers, allot a limited period in which to speak to avoid a lengthy service. Generally, a memorial service runs for approximately one hour.

Words to Remember

A memorial reading captures the spirit of the deceased and sums up the general sentiments of what his life meant. These words carry on with friends and family long after a person's life. Choose or create a speech that pays tribute to the greatest aspects of the deceased's life.

Speeches > Kirt R. Saville > Living a Life of Service and Love: What Goes Around Comes Around

Living a Life of Service and Love: What Goes Around Comes Around

Kirt r. saville.

Director, School of Music

August 1, 2017

We can plan to give service—and I think that is excellent—but I believe the Savior taught and exemplified a better way. Christ most often blessed others when He was on His way to do something else.

I would like to begin my remarks today by paying tribute to my parents. It wasn’t until I began serving my mission that I realized some parents don’t value their children, don’t do everything within their power to make their lives better, and don’t help their children aspire to be the best they can be. I was one of the fortunate ones, along with my brother and sister, to be born into a family where I was loved, nurtured, and taught by loving parents. They had high expectations for me, but when I failed, they were still there to guide, encourage, and show me how to pick myself up and move forward.

My parents, to the best of my knowledge, had never been very active in the Church. They encouraged us children to attend, but their attendance was infrequent. Yet it was from them that I learned how to live a Christian life. My father, in particular, was the kind of person who could never pass by someone who needed help.

I recall a trip that we made from Salt Lake City to Bear Lake, where a weekend of clear blue water, swimming, water skiing, and fun awaited me. Our typical route was to go to Evanston, Wyoming, and then on to Bear Lake. About twenty miles to the southwest of Evanston, my father noticed a man was trying to flag down cars on the other side of the divided highway. My father could never pass by someone who needed help. He drove five miles up our side of the freeway until he found the first turnaround, drove back five miles, picked up the man who had run out of gas, went five miles in the wrong direction, turned around again, drove the twenty-five miles back to Evanston, helped the man get gas, and drove him back to his car.

Being an impatient teenager, I was more than irritated at the long delay. After we finally got on our way, I asked my dad why would he go so far out of his way to help someone. Surely someone else would have stopped and given that man assistance.

My dad simply responded, “What goes around comes around.” After seeing the confused look on my face, he further explained, “I believe that someday maybe you or I will be on the side of the road looking for help, and someone will return the favor.”

Being ever the optimist, I replied, “I seriously doubt it.”

So today I would like to title my talk “Living a Life of Service and Love: What Goes Around Comes Around.”

We’ve heard this saying before in many different forms. The Boy Scout slogan: Do a good turn daily. Pay it back. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you, which is the golden rule. You reap what you sow.

These are all well and good, but my dad lived by the mantra “What goes around comes around.” He would help anyone anytime and anywhere.

But on the other hand, how many times have we heard or said that no good deed goes unpunished? In today’s world we see evidence again and again, televised for the world to see, that the world is an ugly place where those who are innocent and who try to do good come out on the short end of the stick.

Service Given, Service Received

I often hoped that my father’s mantra was true, but I was never quite sure I believed it. Over the years I learned to admire the dedication that my father had to his mantra. But I must say that I never saw it “come around” until years later when we took a trip to Flaming Gorge Reservoir. I remember this trip clearly because it was Friday the thirteenth. Since I was the only child left in the house, I knew it would be a great getaway with my parents. We loved to fish at Flaming Gorge.

This happened while I was in high school—which, according to my kids, was shortly after the earth cooled and most likely during the Jurassic period.

We owned a small cabin cruiser that was about fourteen to fifteen feet in length. It was big enough to sleep three if someone was willing to sleep on the floor—and that was always me. We put our boat in at Sheep Creek Marina. Our goal was to go as far north as possible, spend the weekend in our little boat, and fish until we had our limit.

As I remember, we joked that it was Friday the thirteenth. What followed later that weekend etched that date forever in my mind.

On Friday, heading toward the Wyoming side of the reservoir, we traveled some distance before we began to fish. Frankly, the fishing wasn’t very good, but we loved being out on the boat together in such a beautiful place.

I remember my father saying, “Look, there’s a man on the far shore who’s waving at us.”

I looked up but could barely see anyone. Still, I knew that it was time to pull in the lines. We fired up the motor and went toward the other side of the reservoir, where the man was still waving at us. It seemed odd to me that this man was standing on a barren hillside with no other boat in sight, but when he saw that we were coming, he motioned for us to go around a bend into a small hidden cove. When we came around the hill I was shocked to see a beautiful big yacht pulled onto the shore. It was easily twice the length and width of our little boat.

The man thanked us profusely for coming to his assistance. His battery was dead, and he wondered if we could help him. We did, and soon his big motor roared back to life. The man and his family were very grateful. We lost an hour of fishing, but we were soon back out on the reservoir.

The next day the fishing didn’t improve. As a matter of fact, it was terrible, so we decided to call it quits and go back to the marina. We were about two miles from the marina where we had launched our boat when we found ourselves fighting a blustering headwind that slowed our progress. The waves were kicking up, and suddenly our engine decided to quit. We tried in vain to get it running, but it simply wouldn’t start. My dad was a do-it-yourself kind of guy, and he had built our cabin cruiser from a basic hull. He could always keep our cars and our boat motors running, but not this time.

In the midst of trying to pull-start our outboard motor, much to our surprise, the fellow in the big yacht pulled up and asked if he could be of assistance. I had never been so pleased to see someone! Flaming Gorge is a very big reservoir, and we had been out there for two days. I was amazed that of all the people on the reservoir, he would be the person to show up to give us aid. He offered to tow us back to the marina, even though we were still quite a distance out. We happily accepted his kind offer.

All was going well, and we went at a nice and even slow click for some time, being pulled behind this monstrosity of a boat. We could actually see the marina in the distance when suddenly the motor on the yacht died. We checked the gas lines, the fuel filter—everything. But the motor wouldn’t start. It was Friday-the-thirteenth-weekend kind of luck. We tried his little trolling motor, but it wouldn’t start.

In the meantime, the wind had kicked up into a gale-force wind and was blowing us farther and farther away from the marina. I could barely see the marina in the distance as my dad and Mr. Yacht Guy worked on the engines. Three motors, and not a single one of them would start. What luck!

Out of the blue a little old man and his wife puttered up to us in a little twelve-foot, open-bow, aluminum fishing boat. I remember being shocked to see his wife sitting there all done up pretty with pancake makeup plastered on her windblown face.

I thought, “What in the world are these two doing out here in this tiny boat amid all of these winds and waves?”

The old gentleman offered to tow us in. Quite frankly, I looked at him in disbelief. He hooked a line to the big yacht, and with his little twenty-five horsepower outboard motor, he puttered away like a tugboat with a battleship. Soon he and the big yacht faded out of sight as they went toward the marina.

Meanwhile, we were being blown ever farther away from our destination. We were still in a pickle. But forty-five minutes later the little old man and his wife came back out to us, tossed us a line, and proceeded to tow us back to the dock. I was amazed that these folks were so willing to go so far out of their way to help us. Their kindness and willingness to give so much time and effort to assist total strangers was a gift that I will never forget.

By now we were fast friends—made so by the events of the day and the weekend. We helped the rich fellow get his yacht loaded onto his trailer, and next we helped load the little aluminum boat. As fate would have it, the old gentleman had left the lights on in his car, so his car battery was dead. My dad pulled out his jumper cables and got the car running. We all helped to get the little boat and ours safely secured onto our trailers.

We laughed all the way home about the adventures of that weekend. What goes around really does comes around. I finally had a chance to witness my father’s mantra in action. I may be a little slow, but this was a lesson of a lifetime that I couldn’t ignore.

Thanks, Dad, for being such a great example to me.

What Is Service?

In 2013, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf wrote:

A favorite saying of mine often attributed to St. Francis of Assisi reads, “Preach the gospel at all times and if necessary, use words.” Implicit in this saying is the understanding that often the most powerful sermons are unspoken. 1

I am grateful for the unspoken lessons that my parents taught me. When I would come up short in my obedience or actions, I would often attempt to justify my poor behavior by employing an overabundance of characteristically charming charisma.

My father would simply shake his head and reply, “Son, your actions are speaking so loud I can’t hear a word you’re saying.”

To him, actions were more important than words. His living example of how to lead a Christian life taught me the following important principles regarding service:

• Service should be given with a smile and with no expectation of a return.
• Too often we pass by opportunities to serve because we can’t see them.
• Service is seldom convenient.
• Service most often happens when we are on the way to do something else.
• Service will eventually come back around.

A Lesson About Interruptions

I think these principles are self-evident, but let me elaborate on just one of them: service is what we do when we are on our way to do something else.

One example is the parable of the good Samaritan. Wasn’t the good Samaritan on his own journey, which he had to interrupt in order to provide assistance? The Levite and the priest both chose not to “see” the wounded man, passed to the other side, and stayed on their intended business. 2

Another example, found in Mark 10, happened when Jesus was teaching the people regarding marriage. He was interrupted by those who “brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.” 3 His disciples wanted Christ to get back to the real business that was at hand. However, we read:

But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. 4

This became a powerful teaching moment in Christ’s ministry.

In Matthew 9 we read about what appears to be a single remarkable day in Christ’s ministry. 5 Christ was teaching His disciples when He was again interrupted.

While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.

And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples. 6

On his way to see the ruler’s daughter, Christ was touched by the woman who had an infirmity. He stopped and asked who had touched Him. He then blessed and healed her.

Christ then proceeded to travel on to the ruler’s house, where He announced that the daughter was not dead but was sleeping. The people laughed him to scorn, yet He proceeded to raise the ruler’s daughter from the dead.

Then verse 27 says, “And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us.”

And then in verse 28 we read, “And when he was come into the house, the blind men” continued to implore him. Christ then healed them because of their great faith.

Next, “as they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.” 7 The man was healed; the dumb spake.

Christ was interrupted again and again while He was about His own intended tasks, yet He was willing to see those who were invisible to others. He interrupted His plans and blessed those who needed His loving touch.

The Law of Restoration

Do a good turn daily. Pay it back. You reap what you sow. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. What goes around comes around.

These same concepts were taught by Alma to his son Corianton when Alma was trying to explain the meaning of the word restoration. Apparently Corianton believed that he could do evil today and that later good could be restored to him. Alma taught:

Therefore, my son, see that you are merciful unto your brethren; deal justly, judge righteously, and do good continually; and if ye do all these things then shall ye receive your reward; yea, ye shall have mercy restored unto you again; ye shall have justice restored unto you again; ye shall have a righteous judgment restored unto you again; and ye shall have good rewarded unto you again.

For that which ye do send out shall return unto you again, and be restored; therefore, the word restoration more fully condemneth the sinner, and justifieth him not at all. 8

My father taught me, as Alma taught his son, that the kind of life you live will be restored to you. If you are merciful to your fellowman, mercy will come back to you. If you judge righteously, righteous judgment will return to you. If you do good continually, good shall return to you. If you are just, justice will be restored to you again.

In other words, if you want a friend, be a friend. If you want mercy, show mercy. If you want forgiveness, forgive others. If you want kindness, be kind. If you want respect, respect others.

We are all flawed beings. We have our ample share of problems, insecurities, weaknesses, and failures. But I have learned that one way to overcome them is to share whatever modest strengths and attributes we do possess with others. I testify that they will come back to you. And each time you repeat the process, your confidence and strength in that virtue or attribute will grow and become stronger. 9

Will there be bumps? Absolutely. Will the restoration of good for good be immediate? Most likely not. But somehow, somewhere, sometime these things will come back around to you in greater abundance than the amount that you gave. King Benjamin assured his people that if they would obey God’s commandments, God would immediately bless them. 10

Don’t despair when life is not fair or when it seems that no good deed goes unpunished. There is hope and a promise that a good life is its own reward. I personally find great hope in the ­following remarkable latter-day scripture—D&C 130:20–21:

There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—

And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.

Do a good turn daily. Pay it back. You reap what you sow. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. “For that which ye do send out shall return unto you again, and be restored.” 11 What goes around comes around.

How does this apply to our lives here at BYU and to our lives in general?

We may not have the opportunity to jump-start someone’s boat in a hidden cove in a vast reservoir, but we can share a smile and a hello with someone on campus whom we don’t know—one of those students whom we pass by each day who has a downcast countenance, one of the many who are weighed down with the worries of their day. A smile can turn a frown upside down.

We may not have the opportunity to go out of our way to refill someone’s gas tank, but aren’t most of us running only on fumes by the end of the day? I know that I feel this way all too often.

We can express confidence and trust in our fellow students when they struggle in class or stumble over something that might have been obvious to others. We can encourage each other as we attempt to do the many hard things that are part and parcel of college life.

A Bucket Filler

Many years ago my sweet wife presented an object lesson in a family home evening that had a lasting impact. With two buckets—one empty and one filled with water—she gave each of us an empty cup. She demonstrated how easy it was to deplete the full bucket of water by saying unkind things. She then gave each of us a chance to fill each other’s cups by saying something kind. We took turns saying something nice, and with each act of kindness my wife added water to the cups of both the giver and the receiver of the compliment. This activity was a great visual representation of how easy it is to empty someone’s bucket or, alternatively, how we can fill someone else’s bucket by simple acts of kindness. And I must note that through the process of filling someone else’s bucket, we fill our own.

President Gordon B. Hinckley said:

I have discovered that life is not a series of great heroic acts. Life at its best is a matter of consistent goodness and decency, doing without fanfare that which needed to be done when it needed to be done. I have observed that it is not the geniuses that make the difference in this world. I have observed that the work of the world is done largely by men and women of ordinary talent who have worked in an extraordinary manner. 12

John C. Maxwell, who is recognized as a leading inspirational leadership coach, put it this way: “Doing the right thing daily compounds over time.” 13

Our family has always loved the classic Christmas movie It’s a Wonderful Life, starring Jimmy Stewart. Stewart played the role of George Bailey, who had aspirations to get out of his hometown, Bedford Falls, and see the world. He had big plans and big dreams. However, George spent his entire life giving up his big dreams for the good of his town. Of course you all know the movie, and if you don’t, now is a good time to rectify your deficiency.

I can’t think of a movie that better exemplifies the long-term effects of a good life, nor can I think of one that better epitomizes how the good you do will eventually come back to you. Think of the closing scene as the town rescued George and how he came to realize that he had a truly wonderful life.

The kingdom of God is built by small and simple things. In Alma 37:6 we read:

Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

In short, we don’t have to do something gigantic or impressive to build the kingdom of God. We don’t have to convert thousands, cut a hole in the rock and descend a thousand feet in a covered wagon, heal the toxic algae bloom in Utah Lake, or create a company that will make millions. We just need to work at being a little better each day by reaching beyond ourselves to serve in even the smallest ways: giving a word of encouragement, holding a door open, doing any act of random kindness, giving a reassuring smile to a friend who’s having a bad day, or sharing the music of the songbird, the flutter of the leaves in the trees, the sound of birds in flight, the music of laughter, and perhaps the nearly silent sob of one who is suffering.

Learning to See Those Who Are Invisible

My father could see people who were in need whom others couldn’t see. How is it possible that so many could pass by the man who was stuck on the side of the road, yet my father, who was going seventy miles an hour while driving down the other side of a divided highway, saw him like he was lit up with a neon sign? How did he see the invisible man who was waving for help on the far side of the gorge when all I could see was the water and my own fishing line?

Let me speak of those who are visible and invisible.

Have you ever felt invisible? I know that I have. Sometimes in a crowd, with very little effort, we can remain invisible to those who seem to be the life of the party. Even here at BYU, with more than 30,000 students, I am certain that all of us have, at times, felt invisible. I believe it is easy to feel like no one sees you—the real you; the vulnerable, insecure, and anxious you; the you who needs someone to believe in you; the person who is stranded on the side of the road while everyone else rushes by.

I sometimes worry that the habit of engaging with our cell phones too often has the effect of making everyone around us invisible. I myself am guilty. Though we are attempting to stay connected and visible to our friends, we inadvertently shut the world out. We won’t recognize another’s need if we can’t see them. We won’t be able to give service on our way to do something else if our eyes are fixed on a screen instead of on the humanity that surrounds us.

Ferris Bueller said it best: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” 14

A Lifetime of Service

I love the hymn “Because I Have Been Given Much” because it teaches these same principles so powerfully.

Because I have been given much, I too must give; Because of thy great bounty, Lord, each day I live I shall divide my gifts from thee With ev’ry brother that I see Who has the need of help from me.

Because I have been sheltered, fed by thy good care, I cannot see another’s lack and I not share My glowing fire, my loaf of bread, My roof’s safe shelter overhead, That he too may be comforted.

Because I have been blessed by thy great love, dear Lord, I’ll share thy love again, according to thy word. I shall give love to those in need; I’ll show that love by word and deed: Thus shall my thanks be thanks indeed. 15

I have heard it said that a grateful child is one of life’s greatest blessings, but I would have to add that one of my greatest joys as a parent has come when I have witnessed our children being kind and generous to someone they didn’t know. That is probably because this represents and reflects the kind of love that Christ has for each of us.

Love—God’s love. How do we bring people to Christ? We do so by sharing His love with our brothers and sisters. Today I hope I have been able to convey some of the small and simple ways that we can show and reflect God’s love.

First, we must see—see those who are invisible and see those who need to be encouraged, lifted, and healed.

Second, we must be willing to interrupt our business, even for only a moment, while we are on our way to do something else.

Third, we must act through love. The more we love, the greater our capacity to love becomes. The more love we share, the more love we will have to give.

I testify to you that the more love we give, the more love will come back to us.

Do a good turn daily. Pay it back. You reap what you sow. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. “For that which ye do send out shall return unto you again, and be restored.” 16 Be a bucket filler. What goes around comes around.

I wish to express my deep and abiding love, affection, and gratitude for my wonderful parents and for their devotion and love that remain a constant in my life even though they have both passed on. 17

I leave you with my testimony that the greatest work we have in today’s world is to see the unseen, to lift arms that have fallen, and to share God’s love by loving our fellowmen. I believe that in doing so, we have the chance to heal ourselves and to bring all of us closer to the perfect love of God. Of the power, of the depth, and of the beauty of His divine love I stand as a humble witness. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

1. Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “ First Presidency Message: A Word for the Hesitant Missionary ,” Ensign, February 2013.

2. See Luke 10:30–37 .

3. Mark 10:13 .

4. Mark 10:14 ; see also verse 15 .

5. See Matthew 9:18–33 .

6. Matthew 9:18–19 .

7. Matthew 9:32 .

8. Alma 41:14–15 ; emphasis added.

9. See Ether 12:27 .

10. See Mosiah 2:24 .

11. Alma 41:15 .

12. Gordon B. Hinckley, One Bright Shining Hope: Messages for Women from Gordon B. Hinckley (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2006), 24; quoted in Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Gordon   B. Hinckley (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2016), 191–92.

13. John C. Maxwell, quoted on The John Maxwell Company Facebook page, facebook­.com/TheJohnMaxwellCompany/posts/1083460228372443 .

14. IMDB’s page for quotes for Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986), imdb.com/title/tt0091042/quotes .

15. “ Because I Have Been Given Much ,” Hymns, 2002, no. 219.

16. Alma 41:15 .

17. After I had served my mission, my ­parents returned to full activity in the Church, and we were sealed together as a family shortly thereafter.

© Brigham Young University. All rights reserved.

See the complete list of abbreviations here

Kirt R. Saville, director of the BYU School of Music, delivered this devotional address on August 1, 2017.

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Historyplex

7 of the Most Profound and Famous Short Speeches Ever Heard

There are many famous short speeches that have been a turning point in history. Here is a list of some of the most notable speeches ever.

Speech is power: Speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel. – Ralph Waldo Emerson This quote brilliantly summarizes the power of a good speech. There is no dearth of famous short speeches that have irrevocably influenced mankind and history.

Although the list may seem endless, and there will always be some or the other disagreement of which of these should figure in the list of popular speeches of all time, given below is a compilation of famous speeches by famous people including former presidents, politicians, a great visionary, and a world-renowned dramatist.These have gone down in history as something that people find relevant and influential even today. It is not necessary for a speech to be long to be famous, even a short one can be great, if it has an ability to mesmerize and inspire the audience. What follows, is a list of some of the most notable short speeches of all time. These were given at historical junctions, and had a significant impact at that time, and hold true even today. As these speeches continue to inspire many, they will go down in the annals of time.

Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Pearl Harbor Address

One of the most famous speeches given by a sitting American President, although it lasted just a little over seven and a half minutes, it managed to stir a nation’s patriotism to the very bone and was a significant point in American history. President Roosevelt gave the famous speech to a joint session of Congress, the day after the Japanese bombing of the Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. An excerpt from the speech is as follows:

December 7th, 1941, a date which will live in infamy… No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might, will win through to absolute victory… I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7th, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese empire.

Ronald Reagan’s Speech Following the Challenger Disaster

American President Ronald Reagan made his famous short speech on national television following the disastrous explosion of the Challenger Space Shuttle. On 26 January, 1986 after only 73 seconds into its flight, the space shuttle broke apart, causing the death of all the seven crew members on board, including a classroom teacher who had been chosen to be the first ever non-astronaut classroom teacher to travel into space. President Reagan spoke of the traumatic accident saying:

Today is a day for mourning and remembering. Nancy and I are pained to the core by the tragedy of the shuttle Challenger. We know we share this pain with all people of our country. This is truly a national loss… Nineteen years ago, almost to the day, we lost three astronauts in a terrible accident on the ground. But we’ve never lost an astronaut in flight. We’ve never had a tragedy like this. And perhaps we’ve forgotten the courage it took for the crew of the shuttle. But they, the Challenger Seven, were aware of the dangers, but overcame them and did their jobs brilliantly. We mourn seven heroes: Michael Smith, Dick Scobee, Judith Resnik, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Gregory Jarvis, and Christa McAuliffe. We mourn their loss as a nation together. One of President John F. Kennedy’s most famous speech, was given on 26 June, 1963, to consolidate United States’ support for West Germany a little less than two years after the Communist East Germany erected the Berlin Wall. One of the most famous phrases in history “ Ich bin ein Berliner “, was in fact a last-minute brain child of Kennedy, who came up with the idea of saying it in German, while he was walking up the stairs at the Rathaus (City Hall). It was a great motivational speech for West Berliners, who lived in the constant fear of a possible East German occupation. Given below is an excerpt from this historic speech:

Two thousand years ago the proudest boast was ‘Civis Romanus sum [I am a Roman citizen]’. Today, in the world of freedom, the proudest boast is ‘Ich bin ein Berliner’… All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin, and, therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the words ‘Ich bin ein Berliner!’

Bill Clinton’s “I Have Sinned” Speech

The famous, or rather infamous “I have sinned” speech, was delivered by President Bill Clinton at the annual White House prayer breakfast on September 11, 1998, in the presence of several ministers, priests and his wife, First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton. It was hand-written by the President Clinton himself and was delivered on the day of the publication of the first report by Independent Counsel Ken Starr, which threatened to impeach the President Clinton on the grounds of perjury and his sexual affair with former White House intern, Monica Lewinsky.

I agree with those who have said that in my first statement after I testified I was not contrite enough. I don’t think there is a fancy way to say that I have sinned. It is important to me that everybody who has been hurt know that the sorrow I feel is genuine: first and most important, my family; also my friends, my staff, my Cabinet, Monica Lewinsky and her family, and the American people. I have asked all for their forgiveness… But I believe that to be forgiven, more than sorrow is required – at least two more things. First, genuine repentance – a determination to change and to repair breaches of my own making. I have repented. Second, what my bible calls a ”broken spirit”; an understanding that I must have God’s help to be the person that I want to be; a willingness to give the very forgiveness I seek; a renunciation of the pride and the anger which cloud judgment, lead people to excuse and compare and to blame and complain…

Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” Speech

“I have a dream” speech by Martin Luther King Jr., which was delivered on 28 August, 1963 at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom , was a path-breaking moment for the Civil Rights Movement in America. Given to an audience of more than 200,000 people, this speech was ranked as the top American speech by a 1999 poll of scholars.

I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.” I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave-owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama, whose governor’s lips are presently dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, will be transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

William Shakespeare’s Speeches

The Bard has left behind his legacy in ways more than one. Most of the non-political popular speeches have been written by William Shakespeare. While there are many, like Hamlet’s “To be or not to be…”, and Portia’s speech in Merchant of Venice “The quality of mercy is not strain’d…” to name a few, the Bard’s most famous speech till date is the speech by Jaques in “As You Like It”, which goes as…

All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players: They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages. At first the infant, Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms. And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel And shining morning face, creeping like snail Unwillingly to school. And then the lover, Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad Made to his mistress’ eyebrow. Then a soldier, Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard, Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel, Seeking the bubble reputation Even in the cannon’s mouth. And then the justice, In fair round belly with good capon lined, With eyes severe and beard of formal cut, Full of wise saws and modern instances; And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts Into the lean and slipper’d pantaloon, With spectacles on nose and pouch on side, His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice, Turning again toward childish treble, pipes And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all, That ends this strange eventful history, Is second childishness and mere oblivion, Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.

Steve Jobs ‘Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish’ Speech

One of my personal favorites, and a speech that today’s youth identify themselves with, is the Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ commencement speech on 12 June, 2005 at Stanford, which was replete with inspirational quotes. His last words in the address “ Stay hungry, stay foolish ” is one of the most famous quotes and is echoed the world over even today, and spurred on a bestselling book of the same name. It summed up his life in three parts, which he narrated in the form of three stories. This is a small excerpt from this notable short inspirational speech:

I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this is the closest I’ve ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That’s it. No big deal. Just three stories… When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960s’, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.

Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: “Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.” It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

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