Words of Wisdom: From Everest to Kindness

I like to share potent words of wisdom from time to time.

Here are couple more poignant ideas to add to the mental vault.

1. Fifty years ago, Jim Whittaker became the first American to summit Mt. Everest. He shares some pretty great thoughts about getting out to experience nature and being willing to fail.

2. I don’t know much about this George Saunders cat, but he gave a pretty awesome commencement address at Syracuse University. You can read the full speech on the New York Times, and here is a money quote Kottke highlighted…

Since, according to me, your life is going to be a gradual process of becoming kinder and more loving: Hurry up. Speed it along. Start right now. There’s a confusion in each of us, a sickness, really: selfishness. But there’s also a cure. So be a good and proactive and even somewhat desperate patient on your own behalf – seek out the most efficacious anti-selfishness medicines, energetically, for the rest of your life.

Word.

Welcome to the Dude’s Breakfast Table

Dude's Breakfast Table

Dude's Breakfast Table

“There’s something sacred about reading a blog post on someone else’s site. It’s like visiting a friend’s house for a quick meal ’round the breakfast table. It’s personal — you’re in their space, and the environment is uniquely suited for idea exchange and uninterrupted conversation. In many ways, we should be treating our blogs like our breakfast tables. Be welcoming & gracious when you host, and kind & respectful when visiting.” – Trent Walton (Gracias SwissMiss)

A breakfast table. A fantastic way to describe a blog. Relaxed. But open. A great environment for sharing ideas. But also an opportunity to practice our manners.

Welcome to the Dude’s breakfast table. Happy to have you.

I had no idea who this Trent Walton dude was before reading this quote; so as we all do these days, I hit Google. Turns out he is pretty rad. I don’t know much beyond he’s a web designer who lives in Texas and digs farming, but he has a blog, and the most recent post that I read sold me immediately.

Into the Woods” is a great short story with a strong lesson at the end. Explore new paths. be daring. Embrace the play of childhood. Very Dude-like.

Looking forward to visiting your breakfast table Trent.