Words to inspire

I was in attendance at a graduation ceremony a few weeks ago.  The children who had completed their programme of study were there.  Their parents were also there, with the beaming smiles of pride in the accomplishments of their children.  Teachers were also there, understandably proud of the children with whom they had been privileged to work for the past number of years.  Invited guests were also there, craning necks and other parts of their bodies in order to get a suitable glance at the proceedings which seemed to move along, sometimes at a snail's pace, at the front of the room.

There was also a guest speaker, who had been invited to share some insights with the gathered crowd.  I couldn't help thinking that to be invited to speak in such a capacity is indeed a privilege which is rare, for it only comes along once in a lifetime.  The words spoken should therefore be carefully and craftily honed so that the best impact can be made with the fewest words.  After all, such an address is worthless if the listeners aren't listening.

Words worth reading, words worth listening to, words which inspire, this is the stuff of such a speech.  Evidence the Commencement address spoken recently by Dr. Donald M. Berwick, MD to the graduating class of the Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Dental Medicine.  In short, he encouraged his listeners:

Be worried, but do not for one moment be confused. You are healers, every one, healers ashamed of miseries you did not cause. And your voice—every one—can be loud, and forceful, and confident, and your voice will be trusted. In honor of all those who you will serve, please use it.