Commencement season is here. And for me, this is the time when I read twenty or so commencement speeches. Many are unremarkable because they are no more than pontification from the rich and famous, but there are some that truly resonate and touch you in profound ways.
Steve Jobs commencement speech at Stanford several years ago inspired me and provided comfort at a very trying time in my life. Since then, I have always paid attention to commencement speeches to see if there was indeed someone who recapitulated their experiences in a candid way. Experiences that I could learn from.
JK Rowling's speech (Parts 1,2,3) at Harvard was truly phenomenal.
Here's my favorite excerpt from her speech.
You will never truly know yourself or the strength of your relationships, until both have been tested by adversity. Such knowledge is a true gift, for all that is painfully won, and it has been worth more to me than any qualification I ever earned.
Looking back at the two score plus years of my existence, I cannot but concur with her -- my secret sauce for happiness, success and lasting relationships has been learnt only through the trials that life presented me.
