I reread @jk_rowling’s 2008 Harvard speech a lot, especially this line:
“There is an expiry date on blaming your parents for steering you in the wrong direction; the moment you are old enough to take the wheel, responsibility lies with you.”
It’s been a week and I’m still thinking about what my 14-yo son said when I asked him how he goes about achieving success:
“Doing the bare minimum required for the result needed.”
The boy is a straight A, top of class, scholarship student. Something important is going on here:
"My brother is a low functioning downsie. He used to love to hold babies but it's rare someone let's him now. My wife and I let him hold our baby today and here is his look when we gave her to him and then the way he held her without movement for 5 minutes. I almost cried. 🙂"
Compassion is the source of true joy, peace and happiness. It is the foundation of a good heart, the essence of a meaningful life, and the fundamental principle for creating a better world.
Me, to my 11 yo: What do you want to do for your 12th birthday party in Feb?
Her: I want a Potato Book party
Me: What's that?
Her: Just something I came up with. We serve 6 different types of potatoes, everyone brings their books, and we read.
Genius!