This is a speech given on graduation meant to give some sort of advice to the graduating class as they move forward through wherever life takes them. The speech is about thinking beyond the realm of reality and more about having perspective
I happened to identify greatly with this writing piece because I actually happen to think this way. It was surprising to read this because I had never read anything about thinking this way put into such accurate words. I am unsure how long I have thought like this for but it is the way of thinking I have adopted after multiple experiences which left me in an emotional place I did not want to be. I wondered how I got there and what allowed me to feel that way and why. By dissecting why we feel things and for what reason and relate it to life as a whole in general things start to seem a whole lot more meaningless yet a whole lot more important. On the surface level, something like getting rejected by someone might seem like the worst case scenario, maybe even cause one to feel emotional pain. However, if you think about it form a different standpoint, you might consider that this person did not see parts of you that deserved to be seen, or that this person did not have the emotional capacity to give what you deserve. Thinking like this makes it a whole lot more about them and less about you. Thinking this way in similar situations can prevent so much unnecessary self-hatred or stress. It works other ways too but I think a great deal of it has to do with not having bias and practicing empathy which is what I am best at. I am speaking generally but that is the idea.
Intellectually, after reading this I wonder how many other people think this way. I did not realize this was even talked about and I am pleasantly surprised someone could put it into words so well. So much of how I live and interact with people daily is in a way so incredibly similar to what is expressed in the speech.
I am unsure what this piece truly is, whether it is the story of someone giving a speech or a speech someone truly gave, but either way speeches tend to be of importance, and usually when someone is delivering one, it is because they have something very important to say. The author also writes about how it’s up to the listener’s interpretation, that it is the listener’s choice as to whether or not they choose to think this way. The author writes so eloquently and gets down to the specifics the way of thinking seems well-thought through. I think by giving the choice to think this way or not, it almost persuades the listener to make the decision to think differently because this person seems wise.
Alice Unkrich Composing Self 