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The following is indeed the lyrics from that "song" if you want to call it that. I remember hearing it for the first time and I pretty much had to pull over as I was mesmerized by the simplicity and effectiveness of the music and the eternal wisdom of the lyrics. It was put out buy a guy named Boz Lehrman (sp?) on an album entitled "Something for everyone" (I think). The lyrics made a hit when the song came out as they were attributed to a graduation speech by Kurt Vonnegut, a favorite of mine, at an MIT graduation. completely false. They were written my a newspaper columnist in chicago. I'v forgotten her name, but I do want to give her credit.
Give it a read along with a glass of wine, kick back and contemplate it all. Enjoy.
ADVICE, LIKE YOUTH, PROBABLY JUST WASTED ON THE YOUNG:
June 1, 1997
Inside every adult lurks a graduation speaker dying to get out, some world-weary pundit eager to pontificate on life to young people who'd rather be Rollerblading. Most of us, alas, will ever be invited to sow our words of wisdom among an audience of caps and gowns, but there's no reason we can't entertain ourselves by composing a Guide to Life for Graduates.
I encourage anyone over 26 to try this and thank you for indulging my attempt.
Ladies and gentlemen of the class of '97:
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 not understand
the power and beauty of your youth until
they've faded. But trust me, in 20 years,
you'll 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, but 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 blindside you at 4 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.Stretch.
Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you
want to do with your life. The most
interesting people I know didn't know at 22
what they wanted to do with their lives.
Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I
know still don't.
Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your
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 40, maybe
you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th
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 of 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 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're 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
with a precious few you should hold on.
Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography
and lifestyle, because the older you get, the
more you need the people who knew you
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 never know
when either one might run out.
Don't mess too much with your hair or by
the time you're 40 it will look 85.
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
fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it
off, painting over the ugly parts and
recycling it for more than it's worth.
But trust me on the sunscreen
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