This is Water
There is nothing like graduation season.
The emotions swirling around this time of year always set me up for a good cry. I love seeing the pride beaming off of graduates and feeling the buzz of their loved ones, those family and friends who supported them along the way. Bah! There is nothing like it.
As I was thinking about graduation a couple of months ago (who does that? anyone else?), I remembered David Foster Wallace’s 2005 commencement speech later published as the short book This Is Water. I came across this speech years ago and was utterly captivated by the words. The speech was my first big introduction to mindfulness and existing in the seemingly monotonous parts of everyday life.
In a pandemic, monotony and normalcy have a much different flavor, one we look forward to regaining in the near future. But I just couldn’t pass up the chance to share his speech because it’s so appropriate even today, so feel free to watch the shortened version of it in the video above. You won’t regret it.
And I want to say:
Congratulations to the 2021 graduates who get their degrees conferred this year. What a daunting last year of school it has been. You have pivoted in ways you never could have foreseen. You have fought for this degree.
Congratulations to the 2020 graduates who are finally able to celebrate their momentous achievements with family and friends around them. You have been patient and you now get to reclaim your journey and gain a bit of what you lost last year.
Since Wallace’s speech introduces concepts of mindfulness, I thought I’d provide a few easy ways to begin incorporating it into your life. Small steps are the best steps, so I won’t be asking you to begin meditating for 10 minutes a day, but here are some simple ways to begin existing in the moment:
Brush your teeth, but focus ONLY on brushing your teeth. Think about how the brush feels on your teeth and gums. For those (hopefully) two minutes, focus on the feeling and movement, letting distractions and thoughts come and go.
Take a shower, and instead of worrying about the past or your never-ending to-do list, think about the water on your skin, how the shampoo feels in your hair. Let your thoughts come and go and come back to the feeling of water.
Throughout your day, pause for 1-3 minutes (you can even set a timer on your phone) and breathe in for a count of 5 seconds, hold for a count of 5 seconds, and breathe out for a count of 5 seconds.
To all of the graduates, bask in your special day. Accept the love and adoration of those around you.
Embrace ALL aspects of life, both the momentous and the mundane. This is water.
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