I was shopping in a Target recently, and I heard one older mother criticize what I presume to be her son-in-law about an issue concerning a newborn child (grandchild to the mother). The son-in-law did not follow the advice, but she gave the advice in such a condescending, uncaring way that I was not all that surprised, even though the advice concerned the safety of the newborn.
A week or two ago, I saw a couple of YouTube graduation speeches - Tom Hanks and Amy Poehler. By the way, although I am still somewhat impressed with Ivy School graduates, I love the quote in Good Will Hunting: "See, the sad thing about a guy like you is in 50 years you're gonna staht doin some thinkin on your own and you're gonna come up with the fact that there are two certaintees in life. One, don't do that. And Two, you dropped a hundred and fifty grand on a fuckin education you coulda got for a dollah fifty in late chahges at the public library." I clipped the quote from IMDB - I don't speak or spell Bostonian.
Anyway, the Target incident and the recent commencement speeches gave me an idea for a challenge, well, two challenges.
The first one is a personal challenge - if I give advice, do it in such a way that I know that the advice is given out of love. That it is compassionate. That way, I know my true intent. If I am just being a "gotcha smart ass", it does not help the other person, and it pollutes my soul at the same time.
The second challenge is to me - and if you want to accept the challenge as well - for you, too. Write a commencement speech, and publish it on your blog. You can think about your audience (recommended) or not. But what would you say? What have you learned over your lifetime that you would want to tell a bunch of college graduates making their way into the world? And after you have read your words, are you still following them? I may try and bang something out by Friday. I actually hope that this comes easily . . . we should have these life lessons in an easy-to-retrieve place in our brains.
Oh, and if you do this, please point to these rules - or copy them in your post. Since this blog is all-but-dead, I figure all of my 5 readers would be better at starting the meme than me. I am not called to create memes.
My Interview on Decorating Early for Christmas
2 weeks ago
3. My Stories. Yeah, I have a few erotic stories here. I know, they are not all that good, but they were fun to write. Don't read them if this offends you (and they represent less than 1% of the content here). These stories have elements of truth and fantasy, some more true than others. Complain about something that is a bit more substantive if you must complain. I have lots of faults.
7 comments:
Actually leesa, as the old sage of your loyal followers, now being just a few years from getting discounts at Bubbas Fried Chicken and Grits, I would have a very short commencement speech. It would be, you will go farther in life and your chosen career by listening a lot more than speaking. The world is full of those that say "I shall do something" than those that can say "I did something."
Alright, I'll do it. I haven't written in a while, but this is a good opportunity.
I like this challenge. Definitely has some good merit and I must admit lately I need some inspiration so this is perfect. Oh, and I think you have more than 5 people who read this :-)
hrmm... well I will have to grab my thinking cap and a dictionary (i could use spell check, but like to kick it old school in the spirit of the writting) ;)
I have often found that sound advice in a *tone* is left unheeded. I know I certainly do not encourage that kind of talk in my life, so understand the stubborn refusal of advice just to make a point to not reward a verbal asshat.
larry: lots of people have dreams, for sure.
knot: thanks!
michael: thanks!
xmichra: thanks!
I had fun venting while I wrote it.
knot: I could tell. Still, I love the turn you wrote.
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