Ladies and gentlemen of the class of 1999, wear sunscreen If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists Whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable Than my own meandering experience, I will dispense this advice now Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth, oh, never mind You will never understand the power and the beauty of your youth until they've faded But trust me, in twenty years You will look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now How much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked You are not as fat as you imagine Don't worry about the future or worry that know that worrying Is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind The kind that blindsides you at 4:00 P.M. on some idle Tuesday Do one thing every day that scares you Sing Don't be reckless with other people’s hearts Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours Floss Don't waste your time on jealousy Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind The race is long and in the end, it's only with yourself Remember compliments you receive, forget the insults If you succeed in doing this, tell me how Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements Stretch Don't feel guilty if you don't know what to do with your life The most interesting people I know didn't know at twenty-two what they wanted to do with their lives Some of the most interesting forty year olds I know still don't Get plenty of calcium Be kind to knees, you'll miss them when they're gone Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't Maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't Maybe you'll divorce at forty, maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your seventy-fifth wedding anniversary Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much Or berate yourself either Your choices are half chance, so are everybody else's Enjoy your body, use it every way you can Don't be afraid of it or what other people think of it It's the greatest instrument you'll ever own Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your own living room Read the directions even if you don't follow them Do not read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly Get to know your parents, you never know when they'll be gone for good Be nice to your siblings, they are your best link to your past And the people most likely to stick with you in the future Understand that friends come and go But a precious few, who should hold on Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle For as the older you get, the more you need the people You knew when you were young Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft Travel, accept certain inalienable truths Prices will rise, politicians will philander, you too will get old And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young Prices were reasonable, politicians were noble And children respected their elders Respect your elders, don't expect anyone else to support you Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse But you'll never know when either one might run out Don't mess too much with your hair or by the time you're forty It will look eighty-five Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it Advice is a form of nostalgia Dispensing it is a way of wishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off Painting over the ugly parts and recycling for more than it's worth But trust me on the sunscreen Songwriters: Nigel Andrew Swanston and Tim Cox Congratulations to all graduates and their proud families. ShoutOutsUntil next week, wishing you much peace.
Hugs, mar
20 Comments
Mike
6/21/2017 10:13:38 am
Good morning mar - hard to believe people are still graduating. The presentation sounded so familiar. I had to go and look, it borrows heavily from a movie called 'The Big Kahuna' and the screen writer borrowed heavily from Max Ehramann's 'Desiderata' - I guess the ultimate compliment to a writer is if someone steals your work. 6/21/2017 10:27:29 am
Hi Mar... 6/21/2017 11:40:05 am
Mar - 6/21/2017 12:58:31 pm
Mar,
Maria....This has to be the commencement address to blow all others away! WOW. "Timeless Wisdom" ~ Lord, girl, you can say that again. Some of the most profound quips of advice to heed if you're about to begin that journey through life's maze~~the one that leads to discovering all that you can be.
Dear Maria,
Laraine
6/22/2017 12:43:42 pm
Love it! Will pass it on to my emma as she transitions to college and try to reflect on the words myself!
Shauna
8/22/2017 12:31:13 pm
I love this, Mar! Great words of advice that should always whisper in the back of our minds. We can't control much of what goes on in life, but we can control how we react. Always be true. Leave a Reply. |
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