芭芭拉·布什在WellesleyCollege授学位典礼上的讲话.doc

芭芭拉布什在WellesleyCollege授学位典礼上的讲话 dvnews_pageThankyouvery,verymuch,PresidentKeohane.Mrs.Gorbachev,Trustees,faculty,parents,andIshouldsay,JuliaPorter,clapresident,andcertainlymynewbestfriend,ChristineBicknell-and,ofcourse,theClaof1990.Iamreallythrilledtobeheretoday,andveryexcited,asIknowallofyoumustbe,thatMrs.Gorbachevcouldjoinus.These-Theseareexcitingtimes.TheyreexcitinginWashington,andIhavereallylookedforwardtoingtoWellesley.Ithoughtitwasgoingtobefun.Ineverdreamtitwouldbethismuchfun.So,thankyouforthat.Morethantenyearsago,whenIwasinvitedheretotalkaboutourexperiencesinthePeoplesRepublicofChina,Iwasstruckbyboththenaturalbeautyofyourcampusandtheiritofthisplace.Wellesley,yousee,isnotjustaplacebutanidea-anexperimentinexcellenceinwhichdiversityisnotjusttolerated,butisembraced.Theeenceofthisiritwascapturedinamovingeechabouttolerancegivenlastyearbyastudentbodypresidentofoneofyoursistercolleges.SherelatedthestorybyRobertFulghumaboutayoungpastor,findinghimselfinchargeofsomeveryenergetihildren,hitsuponthegamecalledGiants,Wizards,andDwarfs.Youhavetodecidenow,thepastoritructedthechildren,whichyouare-agiant,awizard,oradwarf?Atthat,asmallgirltuggingathispantsleg,asked,Butwheredothemermaidsstand?Andthepastortellshertherearenomermaids.Andshesays,Ohyesthereare-theyare.Iamamermaid.Nowthislittlegirlknewwhatshewas,andshewasnotabouttogiveuponeitherheridentity,orthegame.Sheintendedtotakeherplacewherevermermaidsfitintotheschemeofthings.Wheredothemermaidsstand?Allofthosewhoaredifferent,thosewhodonotfittheboxesandthepigeonholes?Awerthatquestion,wroteFulghum,Andyoucanbuildaschool,anation,orawholeworld.Asthatverywiseyoungwomansaid,Diversity,likeanythingworthhaving,requireseffort-efforttolearnaboutandreectdifference,tobepaionatewithoneanother,tocherishourownidentity,andtoaeptunconditionallythesameinothers.YoushouldallbeveryproudthatthisistheWellesleyirit.NowIknowyourfirstchoicetodaywasAliceWalker-guehowIknow!-knownforTheColorPurple.Iteadyougotme-knownforthecolorofmyhair.AliceWalkersbookhasaecialresonancehere.AtWellesley,eachclaisknownbyaecialcolor.ForfouryearstheClaof90haswornthecolorpurple.TodayyoumeetonSeveranceGreentosaygoodbyetoallofthat,tobeginanewandaverypersonaljourney,tosearchforyourowntruecolors.Intheworldthatawaitsyou,beyondtheshoresofWaban-LakeWaban,noonecansaywhatyourtruecolorswillbe.ButthisIdoknow:Youhaveafirstclaeducationfromafirstclaschool.Andsoyouneednot,probablycaot,liveapaint-by-numberslife.Decisioarenotirrevocable.Choicesdoeback.AndasyousetofffromWellesley,Ihopethatmanyofyouwillcoidermakingthreeveryecialchoices.Thefirstistobelieveinsomethinglargerthanyourself,togetinvolvedinsomeofthebigideasofourtime.IchoseliteracybecauseIhonestlybelievethatifmorepeoplecouldread,write,andprehend,wewouldbethatmuchclosertosolvingsomanyoftheproblemsthatplagueournationandoursociety.AndearlyonImadeanotherchoice,whichIhopeyoullmakeaswell.Whetheryouaretalkingabouteducation,career,orservice,youretalkingaboutlife-andlifereallymusthavejoy.Itssuosedtobefun.OneofthereasoImadethemostimportantdecisionofmylife,tomarryGeorgeBush,isbecausehemademelaugh.Itstrue,sometimeswevelaughedthroughourtears,butthatsharedlaughterhasbeenoneofourstrongestbonds.Findthejoyinlife,becauseasFerrisBuellersaidonhisdayoff,Lifemovesprettyfast;andyadontstopandlookaroundonceinawhile,yagoamiit.(ImnotgoingtotellGeorgeyaclaedmoreforFerristhanyaclaedforGeorge.)Thethirdchoicethatmustnotbemiedistocherishyourhumancoectio:yourrelatiohiwithfamilyandfriends.Forseveralyears,youvehadimpreeduponyoutheimportancetoyourcareerofdedicationandhardwork.And,ofcourse,thatstrue.Butasimportantasyourobligatioasadoctor,alawyer,abusineleaderwillbe,youareahumanbeingfirst.Andthosehumancoectio-withouses,withchildren,withfriends-arethemostimportantinvestmentsyouwillevermake.Attheendofyourlife,youwillneverregretnothavingpaedonemoretest,wiingonemoreverdict,ornotclosingonemoredeal.Youwillregrettimenotentwithahuand,achild,afriend,oraparent.Weareinatraitionalperiodrightnow-Weareinatraitionalperiodrightnow,fascinatingandexhilaratingtimes,learningtoadjusttochangesandthechoiceswe,menandwomen,arefacing.Asanexample,Irememberwhatafriendsaid,onhearingherhuandplaintohisbuddiesthathehadtobabysit.Quicklysettinghimstraight,myfriendtoldherhuandthatwhenitsyourownkids,itsnotcalledbabysitting.Nowmaybeweshouldadjustfaster;maybeweshouldadjustslower.Butwhatevertheeratwenty-whatevertheera,whateverthetimes,ohingwillneverchange:fathersandmothers,ifyouhavechildren,theymustefirst.Youmustreadtoyourchildren,andyoumusthugyourchildren,andyoumustloveyourchildren.Yoursueasafamily,oursueasasociety,dependsnotonwhathaeintheWhiteHouse,butonwhathaeiideyourhouse.Foroverfiftyyears,itwassaidthatthewierofWellesleysaualhoopracewouldbethefirsttogetmarried.Nowtheysay,thewierwillbethefirsttobeeaC.E.O.Both-Bothofthosestereotypesshowtoolittletoleranceforthosewhowanttoknowwherethemermaidsstand.So-SoIwanttoofferanewlegend:thewierofthehoopracewillbethefirsttorealizeherdream-notsocietysdream-herownpersonaldream.Andwho-Whoknows?Somewhereoutinthisaudiencemayevenbesomeonewhowillonedayfollowinmyfootste,andpresideovertheWhiteHouseasthePresidentsouse-andIwishhimwell.Well,thecontroversyendshere.Butourconversationisonlybegiing.Andaworthwhileconversationithasbeen.SoasyouleaveWellesleytoday,takewithyoudeepthanksforthecourtesyandthehonoryouhavesharedwithMrs.Gorbachevandwithme.Thankyou.Godbleyou.Andmayyourfuturebeworthyofyourdreams. dvnews_pageThankyouvery,verymuch,PresidentKeohane.Mrs.Gorbachev,Trustees,faculty,parents,andIshouldsay,JuliaPorter,clapresident,andcertainlymynewbestfriend,ChristineBicknell-and,ofcourse,theClaof1990.Iamreallythrilledtobeheretoday,andveryexcited,asIknowallofyoumustbe,thatMrs.Gorbachevcouldjoinus.These-Theseareexcitingtimes.TheyreexcitinginWashington,andIhavereallylookedforwardtoingtoWellesley.Ithoughtitwasgoingtobefun.Ineverdreamtitwouldbethismuchfun.So,thankyouforthat.Morethantenyearsago,whenIwasinvitedheretotalkaboutourexperiencesinthePeoplesRepublicofChina,Iwasstruckbyboththenaturalbeautyofyourcampusandtheiritofthisplace.Wellesley,yousee,isnotjustaplacebutanidea-anexperimentinexcellenceinwhichdiversityisnotjusttolerated,butisembraced.Theeenceofthisiritwascapturedinamovingeechabouttolerancegivenlastyearbyastudentbodypresidentofoneofyoursistercolleges.SherelatedthestorybyRobertFulghumaboutayoungpastor,findinghimselfinchargeofsomeveryenergetihildren,hitsuponthegamecalledGiants,Wizards,andDwarfs.Youhavetodecidenow,thepastoritructedthechildren,whichyouare-agiant,awizard,oradwarf?Atthat,asmallgirltuggingathispantsleg,asked,Butwheredothemermaidsstand?Andthepastortellshertherearenomermaids.Andshesays,Ohyesthereare-theyare.Iamamermaid.Nowthislittlegirlknewwhatshewas,andshewasnotabouttogiveuponeitherheridentity,orthegame.Sheintendedtotakeherplacewherevermermaidsfitintotheschemeofthings.Wheredothemermaidsstand?Allofthosewhoaredifferent,thosewhodonotfittheboxesandthepigeonholes?Awerthatquestion,wroteFulghum,Andyoucanbuildaschool,anation,orawholeworld.Asthatverywiseyoungwomansaid,Diversity,likeanythingworthhaving,requireseffort-efforttolearnaboutandreectdifference,tobepaionatewithoneanother,tocherishourownidentity,andtoaeptunconditionallythesameinothers.YoushouldallbeveryproudthatthisistheWellesleyirit.NowIknowyourfirstchoicetodaywasAliceWalker-guehowIknow!-knownforTheColorPurple.Iteadyougotme-knownforthecolorofmyhair.AliceWalkersbookhasaecialresonancehere.AtWellesley,eachclaisknownbyaecialcolor.ForfouryearstheClaof90haswornthecolorpurple.TodayyoumeetonSeveranceGreentosaygoodbyetoallofthat,tobeginanewandaverypersonaljourney,tosearchforyourowntruecolors.Intheworldthatawaitsyou,beyondtheshoresofWaban-LakeWaban,noonecansaywhatyourtruecolorswillbe.ButthisIdoknow:Youhaveafirstclaeducationfromafirstclaschool.Andsoyouneednot,probablycaot,liveapaint-by-numberslife.Decisioarenotirrevocable.Choicesdoeback.AndasyousetofffromWellesley,Ihopethatmanyofyouwillcoidermakingthreeveryecialchoices.Thefirstistobelieveinsomethinglargerthanyourself,togetinvolvedinsomeofthebigideasofourtime.IchoseliteracybecauseIhonestlybelievethatifmorepeoplecouldread,write,andprehend,wewouldbethatmuchclosertosolvingsomanyoftheproblemsthatplagueournationandoursociety.AndearlyonImadeanotherchoice,whichIhopeyoullmakeaswell.Whetheryouaretalkingabouteducation,career,orservice,youretalkingaboutlife-andlifereallymusthavejoy.Itssuosedtobefun.OneofthereasoImadethemostimportantdecisionofmylife,tomarryGeorgeBush,isbecausehemademelaugh.Itstrue,sometimeswevelaughedthroughourtears,butthatsharedlaughterhasbeenoneofourstrongestbonds.Findthejoyinlife,becauseasFerrisBuellersaidonhisdayoff,Lifemovesprettyfast;andyadontstopandlookaroundonceinawhile,yagoamiit.(ImnotgoingtotellGeorgeyaclaedmoreforFerristhanyaclaedforGeorge.)Thethirdchoicethatmustnotbemiedistocherishyourhumancoectio:yourrelatiohiwithfamilyandfriends.Forseveralyears,youvehadimpreeduponyoutheimportancetoyourcareerofdedicationandhardwork.And,ofcourse,thatstrue.Butasimportantasyourobligatioasadoctor,alawyer,abusineleaderwillbe,youareahumanbeingfirst.Andthosehumancoectio-withouses,withchildren,withfriends-arethemostimportantinvestmentsyouwillevermake.Attheendofyourlife,youwillneverregretnothavingpaedonemoretest,wiingonemoreverdict,ornotclosingonemoredeal.Youwillregrettimenotentwithahuand,achild,afriend,oraparent.Weareinatraitionalperiodrightnow-Weareinatraitionalperiodrightnow,fascinatingandexhilaratingtimes,learningtoadjusttochangesandthechoiceswe,menandwomen,arefacing.Asanexample,Irememberwhatafriendsaid,onhearingherhuandplaintohisbuddiesthathehadtobabysit.Quicklysettinghimstraight,myfriendtoldherhuandthatwhenitsyourownkids,itsnotcalledbabysitting.Nowmaybeweshouldadjustfaster;maybeweshouldadjust