I enjoy listening to commencement speeches, as they are given by successful individuals who bring insight and wisdom. Bill Gates addressed Harvard graduates in last year’s commencement speech. This year, J.K. Rowling delivered the following inspirational speech at Harvard University on June 5, 2008.
For full speech published in the Harvard Magazine click here
J.K Rowling talks about two main themes:
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Benefits of failure
“It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case, you fail by default.”
I agree with this quote wholeheartedly. There is much to be learned by making mistakes and failing.
“Given a time machine or a Time Turner, I would tell my 21-year-old self that personal happiness lies in knowing that life is not a check-list of acquisition or achievement.”
I think it is easy for people to get caught up in rewards and achievements. I am a prime example. School teaches us in a way to measure our skill/ knowledge through grades and achievements. As I grew older, I realized that my life happy is not the awards that I have gotten, but the friends I have made and the good and difficult experiences I have had. These are things that cannot be measured. -
Power of imagination
“Imagination is not only the uniquely human capacity to envision that which is not, and therefore the fount of all invention and innovation. In its arguably most transformative and revelatory capacity, it is the power that enables us to empathize with humans whose experiences we have never shared.”
Imagination is indeed the key in solving problems and making advancements. One of the key elements in being a good social worker is the ability to empathize. Imagination is a key component in allowing us to understand people’s problems on a diverse scale.
“Unlike any other creature on this planet, humans can learn and understand, without having experienced. They can think themselves into other people’s minds, imagine themselves into other people’s places.”
“As is a tale, so is life: not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters.”
This is a short, yet powerful ending statement. I hope to continue to challenge myself, follow my passions and live a life full of great experiences. I cannot control how long my life will be, but I can control what I do with my life.
