A momentous week and 10 nuggets
By Jean Rhodes
During moments of transition, parents and mentors sometimes feel compelled to impart hard earned advice and wisdom. In Hamlet, Polonius advises his departing son to value genuine friendships and to “grapple them unto thy soul with hoops of steel.” And, most famously, “This above all: to thine own self be true,” suggesting that integrity and authenticity are the cornerstones of a good life.
I thought of Polonius during this past week of momentous transitions. I’m not talking about Trump’s inauguration, but the joyous distractions of our son’s wedding and daughter’s marriage proposal. All week I felt a mix of existential and sentimental feelings combined with deep gratitude, hope, and happiness. As we celebrated with my daughter’s friends and future partner, she reminded us of an assignment that her high school English teacher once gave to the parents of his students—to craft and impart our own version of Polonius’ advice. It’s been more than 15 years and, like Polonius, I don’t always follow good advice. But there are some pearls that do stand the test of time.