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I Stumbled Upon this quote from Steve Jobs and found it profound. Many of you may already be familiar with it...

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

DAR
That's a fantastic quote. Ever since high school I have regularly visited nursing homes to help kick me in the butt and remember that some day I'll be an old person too (if I'm lucky). Plus I just like older people.

Here is a favorite poem of mine:

***
The Guy in the Glass

by Dale Wimbrow, (c) 1934

When you get what you want in your struggle for pelf,

And the world makes you King for a day,

Then go to the mirror and look at yourself,

And see what that guy has to say.



For it isn't your Father, or Mother, or Wife,

Who judgement upon you must pass.

The feller whose verdict counts most in your life

Is the guy staring back from the glass.



He's the feller to please, never mind all the rest,

For he's with you clear up to the end,

And you've passed your most dangerous, difficult test

If the guy in the glass is your friend.



You may be like Jack Horner and "chisel" a plum,

And think you're a wonderful guy,

But the man in the glass says you're only a bum

If you can't look him straight in the eye.



You can fool the whole world down the pathway of years,

And get pats on the back as you pass,

But your final reward will be heartaches and tears

If you've cheated the guy in the glass.


Dale Wimbrow 1895-1954

winston wrote:I Stumbled Upon this quote from Steve Jobs and found it profound. Many of you may already be familiar with it...

This is from Steve Jobs' commencement address to the 2005 graduating class at Stanford. Good for him!

(My commencement address at Grinnell College was given by John Kenneth Galbraith, 2-time Presidential Medal of Freedom winner, and recipient of the coveted Order of Canada award. No doubt Darrel wants one of those. Galbraith's speech wasn't quite as gripping as that of Jobs.)