1. Give up the quest for perfection and shoot for a good five minutes in a row.
2. Remember what you love.
3. If you want something to change, do something different.
4. Let yourself re-graduate every four years. 

Those are the four “clues” about life offered by Cathy Guisewite, the creator of the syndicated cartoon strip “Cathy” as part of a graduation address she gave at the University of Michigan in the spring of 1994. 

I like the simplicity of her list.  So many  “suggestions for living” offered, while well written and though out, are usually too long and cumbersome for most people to adhere to for any length of time.  Cathy’s list of clues is simple, to the point and easy to understand and use.

About the first clue on her list Ms. Guisewite remarked you will not be graded for how dramatic your plans are but for what you actually sit down and do, slowly, deliberately for five minutes in a row.  If you can succeed for five minutes in a row, you can do anything.  To my way of thinking this is encouragement to stay in the present and live in the “now” where life actually goes on.

Clue number two “Remember what you love” is good advice without any explanation.  However, one of Cathy’s thoughts on this subject is so good; it has to be included.  She said When you remember what you love, you will remember who you are.  If you remember who you are, you can do anything.  Enough said!

When I look back and think about the things I could have done and should have done and wish I had said and wanted to try and thought of changing, time and time again I see the only brick walls that were ever really in my way were the ones I lovingly built myself, brick by brick, and then proceeded to smash my head against.  I just could not get out of my own way.  That is how Cathy Guisewite began explaining her third clue “If you want something to change, do something different”.

I find the third clue especially meaningful as it explains how my life moved from what it used to be to what it is.  In a word “change” is how it happened.  As Cathy continued talking about clue number three she included You have to take a stand when it is not convenient.  Say something in a relationship when it hurts to do it.  Work harder than you are used to working.  Try something nobody else has tried.  Defy your own group.  Rebel against yourself.  Knock down your walls and get out of your own way.  If you are brave enough to do something different, you can do anything.

“Let yourself re-graduate every four years” was Ms Guisewite’s forth “clue”.   The context of her statement was for a college graduating class and the way she explained clue four all one has to do is substitute “re-set” for “re-graduate” to make this point applicable to all ages.  She said Celebrate what you have done.  Admit what you are not doing.  Think about what is important to you and make some changes.  If you give yourself a chance to move on, you can accomplish anything.

The remarks made by Cathy Guisewite seventeen years ago are still just as meaningful today.  Near the end of her speech she said …you have to set standards for how you work how you treat others, how you let yourself be treated. You have to simultaneously celebrate yourself and rebel against yourself. You have to defy your group, knock down your walls, and get out of your own way. You have to separate yourself from the 10,000 things that are expected of you and concentrate on something one day at a time.

There is a consistent thread that runs through Ms. Guisewite’s comments and one she stated at least four times.  It was “…you can do anything”.  While I can’t be 25 again or fly by flapping my arms, there really is little else I can’t do.  At my age some endeavors will be more difficult, but still attainable if it is something I love and truly want to accomplish. Conversely, age plays in my favor due to the wisdom of years and knowledge from previous trial and error not in my possession when younger.  

I am grateful to be exactly who I am, at the age I am, the way I am.   And for anyone to be pleased with their overall lot is life is no small accomplishment.  But here I am filled with joy for living and excited about my future prospects.  I can do anything!

Most of the shadows of this life are caused by our standing in our own sunshine.
Ralph Waldo Emerson