Hey A. R,

I should definitely see pyaasa. It’s kind of a shame that I am so poorly versed with old Indian cinema. It was something I have been intending to correct for many years, but I simply can’t find the time to watch any cinema. There is simply so much to consume and admire that I am buried in a perpetually increasing list of things I want to do or check out.

This letter was one of those things. But here I am, getting to it.

Last weekend I had gone to Duke for NV’s graduation. She technically graduated in december, but the ceremmony occurs once a year, in May. A whole host of my nyc friends also came alone. As a side note, I have noticed a pattern where all of my nyc friends become really close to NV, quite fast. It is awfully convenient for me because a lot of the logistical burdens of being social are also handled by her. I get to enjoy the parts of social ties that I like the best – doing hood rat shit and making art.

Back to the main narrative. So me, NV, AG, LN and AS (along with NV’s parents) where hanging out at Duke for her grad. Something to note about my Cornell friends – they enjoy a good performance and always commit to the bit. The bit during her graduation ceremony was that we are the boisterous NV posse that obnoxiously celebrates as she gets her degree on stage. The execution was stellar. The dean acknowledged our presence, and it was also captured on live stream. We wore the most gaudy blue graduation hats, garlands, and other headgear. It was everything we hoped to achieve and more. But this is also besides the main point of this letter.

The main commencement speaker at the graduation ceremony was Jerry Seinfeld. I will preface this by addressing the fact that about a dozen students walked in protest just as he got introduced over the gaza matter. It wasn’t much of a disruption, but it definitely made the introduction kind of awkward, and there was palpable discomfort when the speech began. But at the end of it, Seinfeld saved it. It was one of the nicest speeches I had heard in person. And this is the point of the letter. What he said resonated with my a lot.

His advice to live a full, and succesful life was to:

1. Work Hard
2. Pay Attention
3. Fall in love.

The following is my interpretation of what he had to say.

On working hard – yes, working hard is wonderful. Work for things you care about. Work for things you love. Working is a privilege. Work not at the cost of people close to you. Work for what is important to you.

On paying attention – the richness of life can only be appreciated when you pay attention. Pay attention to your surroundings, to the people around you, and to the feelings you are feeling. One of my favorite essays on your blog is about tasting, and unpleasantness. There is immense joy to be found in anything if you pay enough attention. It’s one of those hacks to make literally any activity more enjoyable.

On falling in love – I’d probably place this at #1 on the list. I am of the opinion that falling in love is probably the most important aspect of being. People should fall in love with people, places and ideas. It is the ultimate motivator to create and destroy things. It is the closest thing I have felt to actual magic.

Apart from the things above, Seinfeld also talked about never losing your sense of humor. This is another one of those things that I believe to be profoundly important. He says, the world will always be a brutally confusing place that will never make sense. I guess love has a part to play in that too, because love also drives irrationality. But the only way, he suggests, to make your way through this world is keeping in tact your sense of humour. And that includes the weird moments of discomfort. It’s okay. Let the standup set bomb. Let the startup fail. Let yourself fall on your face.

I do recommend seeing the speech. It’s on youtube. I felt like he did a pretty good job addressing the gaza protests too.

Also, he is just a great speaker. I could see his craft. Maybe it felt magnified because I was there in person. He is a funny guy, and I am glad I was there to listen to him in person.

Also, no, I didn’t intend all my letters so far to be about Seinfeld.

Love, A