Creating a Life You'll Love: A Review

2:21 PM Kutala Franse 1 Comments

Creating a Life You'll Love, edited by Mark Chimsky-Lustig, is an excellent anthology of commencement speeches from various speakers in an agglomeration of careers.  Each speech covers different facets of an emerging professional life, from hope to fear to tenacity and compassion.  The authors provide an eloquent and original commentary on many of the challenges ahead and sagacious advice on ways of conquering them.  Reading the book was captivating and it was exactly the type of advice I needed even at this point in my life.  Some of, but not exclusively, my favorite addresses and quotes:

Barbara Kingsolver - "The arc of history is longer than human vision.  It bends.  We abolished slavery, we granted universal suffrage.  We have done hard things before.  And every time it took a terrible fight between people who could not imagine changing the rules, and those who said, 'We already did.  We have made the world new.'"

David McCullough - "Facts alone are never enough...Learning is acquired mainly from books. most readily from great books.  And from teachers, and the more learned and empathetic the better.  And from work, concentrated work."


Summaries of some of the speeches:

Anna Deavere Smith - She gave an example of her going to a Hilton hotel and not even opening the curtains because she already knew what to expect.  When she woke up the next morning with the curtains open, a waterfall was outside of her window.  Her message was that even when one believes he or she knows where they are or have been in a situation, it is best to treat each situation with new eyes and an open mind.

Thomas L. Friedman - He offers six lessons that are easily applicable to lifelong learning.  I personally enjoyed his speech immensely because of how palpable and direct the delivery was.  The anecdotes tied in perfectly with each lesson.  His advice was:
  1. Do what you love.
  2. Be a good listener.
  3. Learn how to learn by loving learning.
  4. Don't get carried away with the gadgets.
  5. Be a skeptic, not a cynic.
  6. "Call you mama."
He also offers some quotes, one from himself and one from Mark Twain
"You have to upload it, the old fashioned way, under the olive tree, with reading, writing and arithmetic, travel, study, reflection, museum visits, and human interaction." 
"Always work like you don't need the money.  Always fall in love like you've never been hurt.  Always dance like nobody is watching.  And always - always - live like it's heaven on earth." - Mark Twain
Karen Tse - Through the tale of a boy born in prison and highlights from her human rights advocacy, she emphasizes the significance and benefaction each person has intrinsically.  She also shares her cognizance of the transformative power of service, reminiscent of the insight by Mohandas Gandhi that states, "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others."

Ken Burns - As a proud American, he stresses the importance of having and remembering one's past.  He believes it is the key to unveiling one's future.  Towards the end of his speech, he gives brief pieces of advice  that consolidate the message he wants people to take.  One reads, "Do not lose your enthusiasm.  In its Greek etymology, the word enthusiasm means, 'God in us.'"  It was an excellent new perspective on a common place word.

For anyone beginning a new stage in their life or in need of some advice for their current circumstance, this book has a multitude of knowledge from every walk.  It is an accessible, quick read that will empower and motivate any person who picks it up.

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