My family is on some kind of "health kick" lately and apparently we are running RAGNAR next year. I went to the gym and did two miles THREE TIMES this past week. I also attended a Cycling class with Lindsey...Did I mention that she is living here now? ; ) Let me just say that my body hurts...
Apparently a certain english teacher gave THIS speech at graduation, and all of the parents freaked out. WHY? Because it is entitled "You Are Not Special." Don't stop reading. This is an interesting speech and it has some interesting points.
"Here we are on a literal level playing field. That matters. That says something. And your ceremonial costume… shapeless, uniform, one-size-fits-all. Whether male or female, tall or short, scholar or slacker, spray-tanned prom queen or intergalactic X-Box assassin, each of you is dressed, you’ll notice, exactly the same. And your diploma… but for your name, exactly the same."
"You are not special. You are not exceptional."
"Contrary to what your soccer trophy suggests, your glowing seventh grade report card, despite every assurance of a certain corpulent purple dinosaur, that nice Mister Rogers and your batty Aunt Sylvia, no matter how often your maternal caped crusader has swooped in to save you… you’re nothing special."
"Yes, you’ve been pampered, cosseted, doted upon, helmeted, bubble-wrapped. Yes, capable adults with other things to do have held you, kissed you, fed you, wiped your mouth, wiped your bottom, trained you, taught you, tutored you, coached you, listened to you, counseled you, encouraged you, consoled you and encouraged you again. You’ve been nudged, cajoled, wheedled and implored. You’ve been feted and fawned over and called sweetie pie. Yes, you have. And, certainly, we’ve been to your games, your plays, your recitals, your science fairs. Absolutely, smiles ignite when you walk into a room, and hundreds gasp with delight at your every tweet. Why, maybe you’ve even had your picture in the Townsman! And now you’ve conquered high school… and, indisputably, here we all have gathered for you, the pride and joy of this fine community, the first to emerge from that magnificent new building…"
"But do not get the idea you’re anything special. Because you’re not."
" “But, Dave,” you cry, “Walt Whitman tells me I’m my own version of perfection! Epictetus tells me I have the spark of Zeus!” And I don’t disagree. So that makes 6.8 billion examples of perfection, 6.8 billion sparks of Zeus. "
"If you’ve learned anything in your years here I hope it’s that education should be for, rather than material advantage, the exhilaration of learning. You’ve learned, too, I hope, as Sophocles assured us, that wisdom is the chief element of happiness. (Second is ice cream… just an fyi) I also hope you’ve learned enough to recognize how little you know… how little you know now… at the moment… for today is just the beginning. It’s where you go from here that matters."
"Resist the easy comforts of complacency, the specious glitter of materialism, the narcotic paralysis of self-satisfaction. Be worthy of your advantages. And read… read all the time… read as a matter of principle, as a matter of self-respect. Read as a nourishing staple of life. Develop and protect a moral sensibility and demonstrate the character to apply it. Dream big. Work hard. Think for yourself. Love everything you love, everyone you love, with all your might."
"You’ll note the founding fathers took pains to secure your inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness–quite an active verb, “pursuit”–which leaves, I should think, little time for lying around watching parrots rollerskate on Youtube."
"The poet Mary Oliver tells us to row, row into the swirl and roil. Locally, someone… I forget who… from time to time encourages young scholars to carpe the heck out of the diem. The point is the same: get busy, have at it. Don’t wait for inspiration or passion to find you. Get up, get out, explore, find it yourself, and grab hold with both hands."
Now don't you think that speech was interesting? I understand what he was trying to say. We all have the spark of divinity within us, which makes all of us special. However, I don't think that that makes none of us special. Where is the logic in that? ; ) That only makes us equal to a degree. We are not "more" special than anyone else because we have certain things or are presented with certain opportunities. God loves each of us for exactly who we are, and we should not be prideful or think we are better than others..because we aren't. All of use are children of God. I think that is the point the speaker was subconsciously trying to make : D Wasn't that what President Uchtdorf meant when he said that God does not care one bit if we work in marble halls or stable stalls? Anyway - there is your food for thought for the day.
C.S. Lewis said“It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship. … There are no ordinary people. … Your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses”
I went home this weekend for my baby sister's graduation. SHE DID IT! We are all so proud of her.Congrats, Babe. You are awesome.
I love this little girl SO MUCH. She is the textbook definition of a beautiful person. There is a bit in Pride and Prejudice where the characters are having a conversation about what it means to be an "accomplished" young lady...
Caroline says "A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be but half deserved."
Mr. Darcy adds ""All this she must possess, and to all this she must yet add something more substantial, in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading."
To which Elizabeth replies, " "I am no longer surprised at your knowing only six accomplished women. I rather wonder now at your knowing any."
Miss Lindsey McCall is an accomplished young lady. She is beautiful - just look at her! She is the smartest of the Christensen siblings (and we ain't a dumb group, so that is saying something) - scholarships all over the place, She is a sports queen, she can sing, she can write, she is a social butterfly. She is confident and comfortable in her own skin. She has her own ideas and opinions. She is a thinker. She is also kind, compassionate, and she is the classiest person under twenty years of age that I know of.
I am over the moon excited for her to move her fanny down here for school so we can once again live in the same city. I am a lucky girl to be a part of such a great family. I love them.
