Regarding my earlier post about how
I’ve learned since graduation that one should never take for granted that
success is going to come easy for you because you’re smart, a thoughtful
reader writes about hard-won wisdom:
Rod, this post in the Corner hits home for me. I spent some time in the
hospital recently for drinking, and looking back on things I had been one of
the brainier kids in school but I’ve done pretty much zero with it. Which
means I feel like I have one hell of a lot of catching up to do, and a
responsibility to contribute something to society other than just having a
job and paying taxes. I’m not exactly sure what it is I’ll end up doing,
some volunteer work of some kind for sure, but it will be something I (now)
wish I had done all along. To me, smart doesn’t mean s–t. What’s important
is to do something with your life no matter what God/Yahweh/Not Really Sure
has seen fit to deposit in your melon. … I’m reminded of one of the girls
I graduated high school with. A bright girl, but she had a tougher time
picking things up than most of the college-bound dorks. I used to give her a
hard time sometimes, good-naturedly, and she was always a good sport. I wish
I had been a little more understanding then.
She now has a PhD. I think she won.