A Commencement Speech
Notes from the Road pt. 1.5
“Use this time to figure out the life you really, actually want and then do what it takes to get that,” I told Bear this evening, as we watched the sun set over Asheville from our rental cabin’s porch. “And don’t take advice from anyone who doesn’t have something you want. Don’t listen to anyone, anyone - not me, your dad, your friends - if we’re not emulating something you want to do with your own life. Don’t listen to someone tell you about love who’s never had a long, loving relationship; don’t listen to someone tell you how to have a career and a lifestyle if they’re not working and living the way you want to. Find the people who’re doing what you want and ask ‘em how they’re doing it.”
I never planned to give a speech, especially not today, the evening of Bear’s high school graduation. We’d been sitting outside, breathing the mountain air after fleeing the graduation ceremony - the thought of sitting through it too much for Bear to…um… bear - and, as per request, I was reading aloud from Willie Nelson’s memoir, which is a wise, bonkers, erratic, irreverent, bizarre tome of fantastic quotes.
Here’re some of my favorites:
