Wear Sunscreen

https://youtu.be/sTJ7AzBIJoI

Depending on when you graduated, and when/if you began buying NOW Cd's, you may recall a speech that was set to background music called, "Wear Sunscreen" written by a guy named Baz Luhrmann. This track was released the year after I graduated high school, and at the time, I can recall my youthful mind appreciating the advise. Sitting where I am now, 20 years later, I can appreciate the words even more than I did then. As the speech goes, "trust me, in 20 years, you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked." The one line that I could not completely comprehend back then was not to worry about the future. In the speech it is written, "don't worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. As of this year, 20 years later, this strikes me as particularly insightful, although still difficult not to worry.

I am, by my very nature, a careful person. I make every attempt to stay informed about as much as I can. I have become very effective at curating information of all types that have the potential to help me understand situations that arise around me. So, when situations occur that leave me totally blindsided, I lose sleep. One such professional situation arose not so long ago which had the potential to impact me and my family. I am happy to report that it was not grave, I was not going to be without employment, but it cast a wide veil of uncertainty. I am happy to say that this uncertainty has been dispelled and all is well.

My son, who is quite the household DJ, loves to go diving into our iTunes library and play what ever looks good to him at the time. One such afternoon, he played this song, and instantly it took me back to the wonderful years when my mind and shoulders did not yet have to bear the full weight of life. I was also intrigued how the words of the speech in the song held a different meaning to me now. How fondly we recall what was hopefully a lighthearted youth. Hopefully we can say that I would never trade anything for what I have now despite the struggles and difficulties we have faced and may yet still face. There are some things we can control, and some we can not. I heard once that worrying makes you suffer twice. I would like to try to avoid that. If you have figured it out, please let me know the secret!