Hillary is back

These are her 24 wise lessons

You may have missed it, but I didn't. Hillary has peeked around the corner for the first time since the elections. And how. She gave the commencement speech (you know, the speech for the graduates of an American university) at Wellesley College, the university where she studied 48 years ago. Since you might not have time to listen to the entire speech (it lasts over half an hour), I’ve picked out the pearls for you.

• You may have heard that things didn’t exactly go the way I planned. But, you know what? I’m doing ok.
  I’ve gotten time to spend with my family and my amazing grandchildren (I actually wanted to dedicate this whole commencement-speech to them but I was talked out of it), long walks in the woods. Organizing my wardrobe… and, I won’t lie. Chardonnay helped too.
  Oh Hillary, I may have had some complaints about your clothing, but I love you.
• Here’s what helped the most. Remembering who I was, where I came from and what I believe.
• Social media is sewing division in a time where we desperately need unity.
• Some people even deny what we see with our own eyes. Like the size of crowds. This was the first jab at Donald Trump who claimed with a straight face that there were more people at his inauguration than at Obama’s. Of course, Donald.
• If our leaders lie about the problems we face, we cannot solve them. And jab number two for Donald.
• As the history-majors among you here today know all too well, when people in power invent their own facts, and attack those who question them, it marks the beginning of the end of a free society.
• That is what authoritarian regimes have done. They attempt to control reality, not just our laws, rights and budgets, but our thoughts and beliefs.
• Maybe you didn’t create the circumstances, but you have the power to change them.
• Vaclav Havel wrote a book The Power of the Powerless in which he said; when one person cries out: “The emperor is naked” everything suddenly appears in another light.
• If you feel powerless; DON’T. Don’t let anyone tell you your voice doesn’t matter.
• In the years to come there will always be trolls on the lure. Online and in person. Eager to tell you that you don’t have anything worthwhile to say or anything meaningful to contribute. They may even call you a ‘nasty woman’. You understand that Hillary had to pause here to enjoy the applause and laughter.
• Some may take a slightly more sophisticated approach and say that you’re too educated and out of touch with real people. In other words; sit down and shut up.
• Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts. Mr. Trump, are you following along?
• It’s ok to change your mind from time to time. Take it from me; the former president of the young republicans.
• Please learn the value of an open mind and an open society. We better do this with open minds and outstretched hands than with closed minds and clenched fists.
• Don’t be afraid of your dreams and ambitions, not even of your anger.
• The day after the election, I did want to speak to women and girls, particularly young girls, because you are valuable. And powerful. And you deserve every opportunity in the world. Not only for your future, but our future depends on you believing that. Goosebumps.
• One of the things that gave me the most hope and joy after the election was meeting so many young girls who told me that my defeat had not defeated them.
• Politics to me is the art of making what appears to be impossible, possible.
• I never could have imagined where I would have been 48 years later. Never that I would have run for the presidency of the United States. Seeing progress for women in all walks of life over the course of my lifetime and yes put millions of cracks in that highest and hardest glass ceiling.
• Doors that once seemed closed and sealed for women are now open. They are ready for you to walk through.
• Whatever your dreams are today, dream even bigger.
• It’s often during the darkest times where you can do the most good.
• Be bold. Try. Fail. But Never give up on those dreams.

Amen. Hooray for Hillary. And can I have them all on a tile?