| I’ve been thinking about today, and what I could say to you. It suddenly occurred to me that one of the last speeches you will hear in college will be this one. That scared me half to death. | |
| I mean, what can I tell you? I never finished high school. I never, sadly, attended college. As a youngster, I was traveling the length and breadth of the British Isles, singing my head off in the Music Halls — a theater brat, with a freaky four-and-a-half-octave range. | |
| You might assume that after a life in theater and film, I wouldn’t be nervous in a situation like this, but I can assure you that I am or was, before your very warm welcome. | |
| Today is about celebration, but despite that, you might just also be feeling a little nervous — and, perhaps even fearful. Believe me, feeling nervous is par for the course. | |
| I remember saying once to my husband, Blake, on the eve of my return to Broadway after a 35-year absence, ‘You know, I’m really feeling VERY frightened about this,’ and I began to tear up. | |
| He simply replied, ‘Darling, did you actually expect to feel anything else?’ | |
| I remembered — yet again — that fear is a part of life. The trick is to recognize it and then press on anyway. In fact, the real trick is to stop focusing on oneself and start focusing on others. | |
| There was a time in my late 20s when I worried all the time what audiences thought. Will they like me? Am I up to par? And it suddenly dawned on to me that everyone in the audience had paid good money to come see a show they really wanted to see, and possibly, they were there after a day of dealing with a lot of stress. Maybe it was tax time, perhaps someone had a family member who was ill, or had a fight with a loved one — I could think of a hundred scenarios. I realized that I was in a position to brighten their day, to make a difference, to give them three hours of surcease, of transcendence, and hopefully, joy. | |
| From that moment on, I began to develop a mindset of giving. I stopped looking inward, I began to grow up and I started looking outward, with an eye toward making a difference wherever and whenever I could. | |
| Today, I invite you to start looking at life the same way. | |
| There are so many opportunities for giving in this world. | |
| Don’t engage in random acts of kindness; engage in planned acts of kindness. | |
| Use your knowledge and your heart to stand up for those who can’t stand. | |
| Speak for those who can’t speak. | |
| — Julie Andrews | |
| At the 2013 commencement ceremony for Colorado University | |
| Found at: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl/news/20130527/brian-urlacher-peter-king-monday-morning-quarterback/#ixzz2UYnJ2Ova | |
| . | |
| On This Day In: | |
| 2012 | Something Of Value |
| 2011 | Sleep All Day |
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