my dear brian just gave me this great article to read
it is the commencement address by steve jobs
to the graduates of stanford in 2005
here's a little bit...
Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.
& the rest is
here
i would love to know what you think
& if you have some stories of your own...
:)
ps just wanted to say
i love you guys
really
really
really
love you
(even those of you who don't comment)
:)
5 comments:
It is interesting that you would have posted this...I constantly feel like I am trying to out run death. To get done those things that I "must" do before there is not more time.
graduate college
get a job
get married
buy a house
have kids
save for retirement
retire
relax???
The problem? You stop enjoying the now because you are so afraid you will not get it all done.
I want to be able to sit and truly do nothing, achieve nothing, be still.
Got an article for that?
i do see what you're saying miss tallerthanu
but i think what i got out of it
was why waste your time doing things you don't even like doing?
(changing diapers excluded
& honestly after dirty diaper #102 you don't even notice it any more:)
of course you always have to do things you don't want to
but for the most part you CAN choose
you may have to alter your lifestyle
make more time to do things that you love
or are really important
make less money
look like a dork
but i don't think you would regret it...
i really believe this
even if i'm not exactly living it right this second
& there are holes in my theory
i also think that the things that you listed are
things that happen no matter what you are doing so why not be doing something you love while you are getting married, having kids, saving, retiring?
& in fact i do have an article for that
psalm 46:10
psalm 23
jeramiah 29:11
& many more in that great little book
:)
love you...
I loved this! Maybe it is the older I get the easier it is to wimp out and not do things (like learning to sail or surf or scuba dive because I'm really really bad at looiking like a dork) ... but when looking at it this way, it only makes to do anything...
I guess I didn't take his speech to mean you *must* do anything, but just to have the courage to do what you *want* to do... maybe that's *not* buy a house (or have kids or retire or ??) if that saps too much energy, because in the end, you'll be dead, homeowner or not.
I'm getting old, what can I say. For me, getting older=having less energy=not working so hard at things that really do interest me=being disappointed in myself. Hmm. There's a nice ramble for you!
Great thoughts! I love what LCS said. Sounds a lot like the existential thinking we received in high school. One of my favorite books on all of this is Ecclesiastes. It is always nice to step back from life and get a different perspective on things. Thanks Em!
It is a great little book, isn't it. :>
I liked this article and have something to think about this evening. Something to ponder upon.
P.S. It's nice to be loved. :>
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