Ladies and Gentlemen of
the class of 1997 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 advise now.
Enjoy the power and beauty
of your youth: Oh never mind: you will not understand the power or beauty
of your youth until they have faded. But trust me, in 20 years you'll look
back at the 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
85. You're 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 4pm on some idle Tuesday.
Do one thing everyday 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 the 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 you want to do with your life the most interesting people
I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do will their lives, some
of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don't know.
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 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 the best link to your past and the people most likely to stick
with you in the future.
Understand that friends
come and go, but for the 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 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. Trave 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 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 it's 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 disposal, wiping
it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's
worth.
But trust me on the sunscreen.