Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young.
A text that Kurt Vonnegut said he would be proud of if he had been of him.
He is often attributed to Vonnegut, but in fact Mary Schmich has published it in the Chicago Tribune. She has written it as a hypothetical graduation speech or graduation speech for a fictitious American university. The version linked here as "spoken word song" was published by Baz Luhrmann in 1997.
Mary Schmich got the idea for the text as she watched a young sunbathing woman and hoped she would use sunscreen - unlike her when she was young.
Of course, the text and song are only superficially about sunscreen. Schmich gives the young (and older) people valuable hints and tips to help them avoid the day-to-day pitfalls of adulthood, and perhaps opens up some access to a happier life.
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Coincidentally, I stumbled upon this song in mid-2015 (again) when I just finished a skin cancer surgery.
The diagnosis "rare, brown-colored white skin cancer" I have then accepted in the first few minutes just once. After all, is "benign". also was half the year before also not easy and characterized by many terrible experiences and diagnoses. Now even skin cancer, probably (co-) caused by the (chemo-) therapy attempt azathioprine.
Half an hour later, however, when I had shopped in the supermarket after the appointment date, it came over me. Howling and trembling, I stood there in the supermarket between the freezers and could not do anything. Slowly I became aware of the experience. It was the famous droplet that made the barrel overflow.
Since the end of 2014, I've been strong, fought, tried a lot, and tried more with / on myself. As soon as the one was over and I was back home, the next diagnosis came, again potentially fatal. I survived these, too. Now also a "benign" skin cancer. That was just too much in just one year.
As you've noticed, this song is only superficially about "health". That's why the text, the song, the nuances and the themes are so important. To me. And I hope for you too!
Another impressive speech
While we're at it, here's another stunning final speech by Steve Jobs. That touches me personally again and again.
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