One of the best speeches I've ever heard

I cannot quite remember how I first stumbled upon the 1999 song "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)" by Baz Luhrman, but I do remember that when I heard it - at the tender age of 15, or something like that - it greatly renewed my perspective on life. And, whenever I need to hit the ol' Refresh button on my perspective on life - times like when you're in career/higher education limbo - I go to YouTube and mellow out to this spoken word track.

Interestingly, the older I get, the more sense these words make. The original 1997 article by Mary Schmich, from which the lyrics of the song originated, is aptly entitled "Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young". That's why this time, while I'm hitting the ol' Refresh button, I've decided to share why I think these words yield such calm clarity. Sometimes, I feel that advice is only wasted if it's not shared and spread.

I encourage you all to read the article and/or listen to the song. You surely won't regret it, and it only takes about 5 minutes. Below I have highlighted a few of my favorite excerpts and the reasons why I love them. So, if you're still not convinced, may they serve as a preview for you.

"Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth"

Adolescents and young adults cannot hear this phrase enough! There is truly something elusive and magical about being young. I once heard from some wonderful documentary about the 60's (which name fades me at the moment) that "It's important for the youth of today to believe that they can change the world because they actually can". And, though I'm sure I'm paraphrasing, truer words have never been spoken! It's many things, but certainly it's this type of hope and confidence that hasn't yet been jaded and faded by life's hard experiences that makes youth powerful and beautiful. Definitely qualities worth cherishing and cultivating for as long as we can.

"Do something everyday that scares you"

This quote by Elanor Roosevelt is simple yet daring. It's a great goal to have. It reminds me that no matter what happens even during the crappiest day, if you can say that you have in some way stepped outside of your comfort zone, then I would count that day as a success. Even if it's something as simple as studying for Microbiology or, I dunno, writing a blog post and sharing it on Facebook (yikes!) - anything that puts you one step closer to being more confident in yourself is worth the effort. I love this quote.

"Don't waste time on jealousy. Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long and, in the end, it's only with yourself."

To all those going through that quarter-life crisis I keep raving about - this one's for you. Just keep reading this quote until you're at ease with the fact that your career, relationships, housing and life in general might be shaping up in a way you hadn't thought it would.

"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 with their lives."

See above as to reasons why I love this excerpt, even though I'm pretty sure it's self-explanatory.

 "Understand that friends come and go, but with a 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 who knew you when you were young."

I'm learning that this idea of holding on to friends in spite of geography and lifestyle is a basic necessity of life. As is the part about keeping the people around who knew you when you were young. And, I don't think it's necessarily about keeping your friends from your youth around because you were young, but rather because they help to keep you grounded in a way that the new acquaintances of life can't. The people who knew you from your formative years in life remind you of the person you were back then and the person you evolved to become. They keep you honest and humble. And, above all else, they remind you of those important transitions in life, and keep you going towards the road of progress. You can't fake it with good old friends! Best to keep them around for good.

So, I'll end there, but be assured that this entire song/article can speak volumes to you on a personal level. Everyone can take away different interpretations that will help them to Refresh a cloudy perspective they might currently have on life. Or, if nothing else, it can serve as a nice way to just mellow out for a while. Either way, enjoy.