Commencement speeches

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Commencement speeches!

Anyone else with me??  There is something about a commencement speech that pulls at my heart strings.  Maybe it is the fact that it is usually a famous person that shares something so personal with a group of soon to be graduates that you feel like they are sharing it with you too(even though you have no business being in that mix) or is it that they inspire hope and a second chance.  I remember when I graduated college and I don't even remember who spoke at my commencement...oh wait,  I do! She thought she was speaking to Champaign Urbana students-"Go Illini!" she said. Yeah, can you believe it??  Anywhoo, now I long to be a graduate of a prestigious school (or not so prestigious) and be part of a graduating class.  I too want to start on a new adventure or take 2 if you will.  I stumbled across this speech by the author, J.K. Rowling of Harry Potter fame and thought you might enjoy because I did. She mentions a few points that were particularly interesting: the fear of failure(1) that coincidentally I was thinking about in a recent conversation with a friend about grad school and also that there comes a time when you can no longer blame your parents(2) for life choices you make(expiration time!). I decided to post one commencement speech from now until late August to highlight some of my favorites.  Do you have any favorites?

Enjoy!

http://www.ted.com/talks/jk_rowling_the_fringe_benefits_of_failure.html