“If you become a tree,” said the Little Bunny, “I will become a little sail boat and I will sail away from you.”
“If you become a sailboat and sail away from me,” said his mother, “I will become the wind and blow you where I want you to go.”
from The Runaway Bunny
written by Margaret Wise Brown
illustrated by Clement Hurd
Harpers, 1942
As my oldest grandchild graduates from high school this coming weekend, I remembered the book I gave to each of my daughters on their own graduations. The quote above was always my favorite 2-page spread. But for over 40 years, I had been misreading the text.
Whenever I read the story to my kids (and grandkids), and my 20+ years worth of Storytime kids, I read the text as: “I will become the wind and blow you wherever you want to go.” It wasn’t until yesterday afternoon that I noticed my “mistake.” Really.
I have always believed in kids having as much agency as is practical and safe. And I inadvertently read that into Ms. Brown’s classic text.
For today, I decided to fall back on a list of advice solicited by WKSU on their social media page. I heard it read by Mike McIntyre, the Executive Editor of the station.
Here’s “Mike McIntyre’s Crowdsourced Commencement Speech for the Class of 2024” as he delivered it on air, May 15, 2024, on the show “The Sound of Ideas.” I hope you find it as inspiring, funny, thoughtful, delightful, sensible, and encouraging as I did.
To the Class of 2024:
Everyone is looking for the keys to success. Here they are: Show up
and take responsibility.
The key to success is to do what you say you will do.
Hard work is not a bad thing. Work hard and build your network --
these two things will set you up for a successful career.
Remain humble, aware, compassionate and curious. Always remember
that compassion trumps indifference in life.
Listen to the voice that's telling you to create something.
Always buy the concert tickets.
The world needs your hope and your passion. Chase your dreams,
because they won't chase you.
Walk in doubt, step with confidence. Stay true to yourself and be
authentic, the world has enough people trying to be someone they
are not. Confidence comes from competence.
Develop a severe allergy to generalizations about generations — your
own, and others’. Notice when things are nice. And when you feel
like complaining about how bad the old folks messed everything up,
remember they just got here too.
Don’t burn the boomers.
Try to think for yourself before using AI.
When faced with two choices, pick the one that scares you the most.
No matter what advice you receive to succeed, to triumph, to
prosper, to thrive, remember to be kind. Just be nice.
The only person you're guaranteed to spend the rest of your life with
is yourself. Treat yourself with love and kindness.
Buy yourself flowers.
There is no greater joy than loving someone even more than you love
yourself. Find your own happiness, in yourself. Invest in yourself,
learn to know your limits and worth, become your own best friend.
You’re entering a phase of life where all too often it’s all about you.
Make sure to focus on others — not just yourself. Do something
for someone you will never meet.
Say yes to as many things as you can. Except drugs.
Try to accomplish something each day. The first thing is making your
bed when you get up. The little accomplishments add up to big
accomplishments.
Expect nothing, earn everything.
Don’t think of mistakes as failures. You can always pivot. Fall apart on
schedule. Since you, just like everyone else in the world, will never be perfect — know that every failure is an opportunity to grow. Stay
strong and keep the faith. If it is not going to matter in five years,
don't stress about it.
Life's like a Wi-Fi signal — sometimes you just need to reset to find a
better connection.
Be a positive person and try to hang out with positive people. Not only
do they get things done, they're way more fun.
If you’re going to marry someone, which I highly recommend (It’s
great.), make sure you find someone with good taste in TV shows,
because that’s the only thing you’ll do together. Especially if you
have kids.
Ditch your smartphone for at least an hour a day. This especially
applies to the bathroom.
In school, your success is often measured by how well you follow the
instructions. At work, there are almost never instructions. It’s okay
to say, “I don’t know.”
If you throw your mortarboard into the air and don’t catch it, you
have to go to grad school so you can try again.
We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.
Give some of your money away. You’ll be richer for it. You’re
never too young to start to build your financial future.
Time is the most valuable resource you have — be mindful of how and
with whom you spend it, in work and in life.
Remember to call your mom.
Dream big, act boldly and never underestimate your potential. The
world belongs to you and the only limits that exist are the ones you
set for yourself! Keep aiming high, do things, go places. And when
the time is right, drink beer!
Easy on the cheese. Sure, it’s tasty and all, but your gut really doesn’t
need all that. I have two words for you, listen very closely: Greek
yogurt.
The future is a foreign country. Learn the mindset of an immigrant.
Don’t rake your leaves, nature prefers it that way. Even if you get
rich and … and every lawn on the street looks like a golf course in
early December, don’t rake them.
If you want to steal deep thoughts from famous people, pick Vonnegut.
If you’ve always wanted to try something, go for it. Nobody cares.
You’re a grown up now.
Don’t be a dum-dum.
https://www.ideastream.org/community/2024-05-15/mike-mcintyres-crowdsourced-commencement-speech-for-the-class-of-2024
I’m getting close to the end of Nathan Hill’s Wellness. At 624 pages, it’s a lot longer than most of what I read.
Next up is Mad Honey by Jodi Piccoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan (Ballantine Books, 2022).
Be curious! (and take the next step)
“If you become a sailboat and sail away from me,” said his mother, “I will become the wind and blow you where I want you to go.”
from The Runaway Bunny
written by Margaret Wise Brown
illustrated by Clement Hurd
Harpers, 1942
As my oldest grandchild graduates from high school this coming weekend, I remembered the book I gave to each of my daughters on their own graduations. The quote above was always my favorite 2-page spread. But for over 40 years, I had been misreading the text.
Whenever I read the story to my kids (and grandkids), and my 20+ years worth of Storytime kids, I read the text as: “I will become the wind and blow you wherever you want to go.” It wasn’t until yesterday afternoon that I noticed my “mistake.” Really.
I have always believed in kids having as much agency as is practical and safe. And I inadvertently read that into Ms. Brown’s classic text.
For today, I decided to fall back on a list of advice solicited by WKSU on their social media page. I heard it read by Mike McIntyre, the Executive Editor of the station.
Here’s “Mike McIntyre’s Crowdsourced Commencement Speech for the Class of 2024” as he delivered it on air, May 15, 2024, on the show “The Sound of Ideas.” I hope you find it as inspiring, funny, thoughtful, delightful, sensible, and encouraging as I did.
To the Class of 2024:
Everyone is looking for the keys to success. Here they are: Show up
and take responsibility.
The key to success is to do what you say you will do.
Hard work is not a bad thing. Work hard and build your network --
these two things will set you up for a successful career.
Remain humble, aware, compassionate and curious. Always remember
that compassion trumps indifference in life.
Listen to the voice that's telling you to create something.
Always buy the concert tickets.
The world needs your hope and your passion. Chase your dreams,
because they won't chase you.
Walk in doubt, step with confidence. Stay true to yourself and be
authentic, the world has enough people trying to be someone they
are not. Confidence comes from competence.
Develop a severe allergy to generalizations about generations — your
own, and others’. Notice when things are nice. And when you feel
like complaining about how bad the old folks messed everything up,
remember they just got here too.
Don’t burn the boomers.
Try to think for yourself before using AI.
When faced with two choices, pick the one that scares you the most.
No matter what advice you receive to succeed, to triumph, to
prosper, to thrive, remember to be kind. Just be nice.
The only person you're guaranteed to spend the rest of your life with
is yourself. Treat yourself with love and kindness.
Buy yourself flowers.
There is no greater joy than loving someone even more than you love
yourself. Find your own happiness, in yourself. Invest in yourself,
learn to know your limits and worth, become your own best friend.
You’re entering a phase of life where all too often it’s all about you.
Make sure to focus on others — not just yourself. Do something
for someone you will never meet.
Say yes to as many things as you can. Except drugs.
Try to accomplish something each day. The first thing is making your
bed when you get up. The little accomplishments add up to big
accomplishments.
Expect nothing, earn everything.
Don’t think of mistakes as failures. You can always pivot. Fall apart on
schedule. Since you, just like everyone else in the world, will never be perfect — know that every failure is an opportunity to grow. Stay
strong and keep the faith. If it is not going to matter in five years,
don't stress about it.
Life's like a Wi-Fi signal — sometimes you just need to reset to find a
better connection.
Be a positive person and try to hang out with positive people. Not only
do they get things done, they're way more fun.
If you’re going to marry someone, which I highly recommend (It’s
great.), make sure you find someone with good taste in TV shows,
because that’s the only thing you’ll do together. Especially if you
have kids.
Ditch your smartphone for at least an hour a day. This especially
applies to the bathroom.
In school, your success is often measured by how well you follow the
instructions. At work, there are almost never instructions. It’s okay
to say, “I don’t know.”
If you throw your mortarboard into the air and don’t catch it, you
have to go to grad school so you can try again.
We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.
Give some of your money away. You’ll be richer for it. You’re
never too young to start to build your financial future.
Time is the most valuable resource you have — be mindful of how and
with whom you spend it, in work and in life.
Remember to call your mom.
Dream big, act boldly and never underestimate your potential. The
world belongs to you and the only limits that exist are the ones you
set for yourself! Keep aiming high, do things, go places. And when
the time is right, drink beer!
Easy on the cheese. Sure, it’s tasty and all, but your gut really doesn’t
need all that. I have two words for you, listen very closely: Greek
yogurt.
The future is a foreign country. Learn the mindset of an immigrant.
Don’t rake your leaves, nature prefers it that way. Even if you get
rich and … and every lawn on the street looks like a golf course in
early December, don’t rake them.
If you want to steal deep thoughts from famous people, pick Vonnegut.
If you’ve always wanted to try something, go for it. Nobody cares.
You’re a grown up now.
Don’t be a dum-dum.
https://www.ideastream.org/community/2024-05-15/mike-mcintyres-crowdsourced-commencement-speech-for-the-class-of-2024
I’m getting close to the end of Nathan Hill’s Wellness. At 624 pages, it’s a lot longer than most of what I read.
Next up is Mad Honey by Jodi Piccoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan (Ballantine Books, 2022).
Be curious! (and take the next step)
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