Ecopreneurist

That once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that both warms one’s heart and instills a swarm of nervous stomach butterflies came about for me last week:  giving a commencement address at my old high school, Glenbrook South in Glenview, Illinois. 

While it ranked an honor to receive the distinguished alum award, the five-minute speech proffering advice for the 2009 graduating class proved to be a unique challenge for me, requiring me to think about and process the “Lisa Kivirist” from 1985 when I graduated, when the only “green” I knew was the one in the padded paychecks I aspired to earn, to the green rolling hills of our Wisconsin farm and B&B today, Inn Serendipity and helping others launch green businesses through my book, ECOpreneuring.

Detours with a dose of serendipity quickly arose as the theme song for my last twenty years, a refrain that I wanted to leave with the graduating class.  Life may take unexpected turns, but remember, as I learned, to keep connected to the core values, your earth mission, figuring out ways to craft a life and livelihood based on your passions.

Here are some excerpts from my speech:

“Our Glenbrook South memories don’t really end today.  Our new experiences will merely grow out of the past four years.  In the words of the perpetual philosopher, Lisa Kivirist:  Happiness is like a colorful balloon.  The more you add to it, the more it will grow.  When we leave today, the colors of the Class of 1985 won’t disappear, but a rainbow of memories will always tie our hearts together.”

Yeah, I hear you.  A little sappy.  Too much like the inside of those many Hallmark graduation cards you’ve received, eh?  But as I reread that speech I gave back in 1985 –  except my speech was typed — I realized there’s a lot of learning in it for me as I reflect back on those words, that time of my life, and what brought Lisa Kivirist back here today.

I’m truly honored to receive this Distinguished Alumnus Award today, but not for the reasons you might think.

Let’s go back to my 1985 “Happiness is Like a Balloon” analogy.  “The more you add to it, the more it will grow,” I said.  I started here in June 1985.  Here were my friends, my family, my school, my activities my studies.  I was doing a lot of the things you might have been doing, building homecoming floats, collecting cans for the canned food drive, being challenged – and sometimes driven crazy – by my teachers.

But what happened when I left GBS?  I followed my own advice from that speech and jumped on that expected, cookie cutter track where bigger is better.  After college I got a corporate job, credit cards, a packed schedule, and what happened?

Obviously, I wasn’t paying attention in my physics class back at Glenbrook South.  Obviously, if you stuff too much into a balloon, it pops.  If you try too hard to fit into what everyone else is doing, trying to be something you’re not, you loose touch of whom you are, the things that make you unique and special.  You pop.

And here’s why I’m trying honored to receive this award today and the message I want to leave you with:  be open to and celebrate the serendipity of life.  For me, life is an on-going, magical journey.  You and I both started here, went into the world with Glenbrook South roots.  I hope you experience, like I did, many magical detours, changes, challenges and opportunities that enable you to fulfill your destiny on this planet of ours.

Did I think when I was sitting where you’re sitting that I’d end up on an organic farm in Wisconsin?  No.  Running a B&B completely powered by the wind and sun?  No.  Authoring books with my husband on entrepreneurship and sustainable living?  No.  Advocating for agricultural policies and the role of rural women on Capitol Hill?  No.  That’s the magical, serendipitous part of life.

You will receive much more than a paper diploma here in a few minutes.  Think of it as a magical ticket, your personal launch pad to be whatever you want to be.  Congratulations.  You and I both have been privileged to receive such a high quality of education.  Same as it was back in 1985 for me, with privilege comes responsibility to do something with all we’ve been given.  The next step is up to you.  Take that diploma ticket and ride.  Try new things, travel to new places, and meet new people.  Take those amazing tools Glenbrook South has given you and use them to transform the world.  If you see a situation that needs to be changed, use that Titan ticket and the education you received here at GBS to change things for the better.  If you don’t connect with a job or career path that works for you, use that Titan ticket like I did and create one of your own.

But even as you go forth and try out new ventures and explore those serendipitous detours, be true to who you are today, right now.  That took me a while to realize.  When I was caught up in blowing up that balloon, I lost touch with my 1985 graduating Titan senior self.  I’d argue you know more about yourself right now than you realize.  From the extra curricular activities you love to those academic subjects you thrive in, listen to you heart today and be open to how you can create a livelihood and life around those values, talents and passions that make you unique and special.

For me now looking back, I loved the diversity of life here at Glenbrook South.  I loved the freedom to be involved in everything from Student Council to the Variety Show to being in the first class of the Glenbrook Academy of International Studies.  I loved the diversity of teachers, perspectives and people I meet in high school and the opportunity to be involved in activities and projects that really made a difference in this community.

My life today now reflects that need for diversity.  From writing books to farming, from raising our 7 year old son, Liam, to running Inn Serendipity, every day for me is different, but every moment is filled with a passion for doing what I love.  My wish for you is that you can find that same love for what you do as you leave here today . . .

I wish you all the very best on the road ahead.  Thank you for the honor of sharing this magical moment with all of you.

Photo credit: John Tucker/Creative Commons

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