Aside from being unbearably boring, graduations always inspire me a little bit. To be ambitious, follow my dreams, think idealistically. You know, go for things. Something about all those young people in dorky hats with so much potential. I saw this graduation speech somewhere online and wrote down a few gems from it. A little food for thought, just in case you've lost that little idealistic sparkle in your eye (cheesiness intended):
Do whatever you do for no other reason than because you love it and believe in its importance. Don't bother with work you don't love.
Read. Read all the time. Read as a matter of principle, as a matter of self respect. Read as a nourishing staple of life.
Carpe the heck out of the Diem.
Climb the mountain not to plant your flag, but to embrace the challenge, enjoy the air and behold the view.
Go to Paris to be in Paris. Not to cross it off your list and congratulate yourself. (I particularly like this thought. How many things do we do just to say we did? and have a picture of it up on the internet, cross it off our list, and feel cool that we are accomplished or well traveled? I may be guilty of this at times. Someone recently told me "it's important to enjoy the getting it done a little less, and the doing it a little bit more")
Get busy. Have at it. Don't wait for inspiration or passion to find you. Get up. Get out. Explore. Find it yourself. Grab hold with both hands.
On that note, my little baby sister graduated from high school last week! This girl we all know and love:
Ya, she grew up a little bit. These days, she looks more like this:
Congratulations Maddy! (sorry about the picture, I saw it on Facebook and couldn't help myself :))
Also, I'm trying to convince her that when she goes to college she should start going by her full name: Madeleine. Not that Maddy isn't great but isn't Madeleine just a beautiful name? You should all encourage this.
I have a story about "Madeleine". I was 12 when Maddy was born - old enough to have a strong opinion about what mom and dad should name my baby sister. And it was NOT supposed to be Madeleine. I hated that name. I tried everything I could to convince them of another name. My only consolation was that we could call her Maddy. I liked Maddy. Madeleine is growing on me, but I think she will always be Maddy to me.
ReplyDelete