Okay, when I started writing my previous post, I was actually going to write about a book that I had just read. Just who you will be?, by Maria Shriver. But I got distracted. 

It was the first few pages that got me hooked till the end. (But then again, I have the tendency to finish every book I read. OCD.) 

She wrote that she whined to her daughter saying, "I don't know what I want to be when I grow up!"

Looking confused the daughter answered, "Mom, you're already a grown up."

I remember saying that a few times to my friends, and I got the same reaction. Like hey, what are you now? Aren't you grown up enough? Do you think you still have time to be something else?

Of course. There's always time. Even if you are going to die tomorrow, there is still time. A day, an hour, a minute or a second. A lot that you can do. Okay, maybe not so much in a second. But a minute. You could still leave a meaningful message to someone. 

Like in that Indonesian movie, Sundel Bolong. When the ghost was dying, (I'm not sure really how the ghost is going to die again), she told her son (who was still human), to take care of himself, and be good to his country and religion.

Or something like that. I didn't really watch that movie, my cousin told me about it. Because she thought it was hilarious. 

Let's get back to the book for a while. (Obviously I will write on my thoughts more than what the book is about. Hopefully they relate though).

Okay, here goes.

She was asked to speak at a high school graduation, and although at first, she didn't know what to talk about, in the end, she was told that she had given an inspiring speech, even the parents of the children told her that they were inspired.

She asked the young kids, "Just who will you be?" Not what will they be.

And along with the speech was a long poem, and I will copy only certain stanzas that got my attention.

"When you look in the mirror

It's an image you see

But down deep inside

Just who will you be?"

"Will you follow the crowd

Or follow your gut?

Will you be a leader 

Or anything but?"

"Who wants to belong 

To a group that seems rad

But does things that make you

Feel lonely and bad?"

"Tell yourself, 'I don't need it!

No matter to me!

That isn't the me

That I want to be!'"

"You can get the cool clothes

And the jewelry and car

But that doesn't measure

The person you are."

"The price that you'll pay

Is expensive, you'll see

It's becoming the person

You won't want to be."

"Now don't think I'm saying

You won't make mistakes

That's just part of living

That growing up takes."

"Sometimes you'll feel lonely

Sometimes you'll feel lost

If you want to achieve

Sometimes that's the cost."

"As you go down one road

And don't like what you find

Remember it's okay

To just change your mind."

"And don't be so fearful

You're too scared to fail

I've had my share of failures

And lived to tell the tale."

"If you don't stick your neck out

You'll be safe it's true

But you also won't find out

Who is the real you."

"Doing only what's easy

Won't break you a sweat

But you also won't learn

Lessons you need to get."

"The lessons will teach you

What you need to know

To find out who you'll be

And which way you'll go."

And it's much longer. Really.

And I think she has said it all. 

I have nothing more to say. 

For now.