Commencement Speech

My friend Melinda sent me the speech that Steve Jobs wrote for the 2006 Stanford Commencement. It is one of those talks that leaves shivers down the backs of your arms. I thought I would share the part that I wrote in my little 'remember this quote' book.

"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. Remebering that you are going to die is the best way to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to loose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.

Death is a destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be because death is very likely the single best invention in life. It is life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away.

Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."

This picture was taken by Helene Cyr. She was the photographer at our wedding. This fellow was our piano player. He is an amazing man who has spent his life playing the music that he loves. He now donates his talents to the Unitarian Church every sunday. Dave and I engaged in this incredible conversation about love and relationships and the different forms that they appear within minutes of meeting. I thought the image of him represents a life well lived.