“If you want to change the world, make your bed first thing in the morning.”
~ Admiral William H. McRaven .
And that dear reader is the bed that I make the first thing every morning. It may not be how the Navy Seals do it, but before I head to the bathroom on waking up, I make it exactly as you see it here. It may not look like how a five star hotel housekeeper will do it, but below the comforter, the bed is made to military specifications!
Why do I do it? I don’t have a clue. Habit is the nearest I can come up with. Something vague comes to mind. The fear of a martinet of a father who would otherwise belt the bejesus out of me if I did not or the gentle words of a mother who would say, “Be neat and clean” from a distant childhood comes to mind. Total brainwashing!
And I do it again after my siesta in the afternoon.
Anyway, the purpose of this post is not to show off my bed making skills, but to take you to Admiral McRaven’s commencement speech at the University of Texas. A remarkable speech which has been brought to my attention by a friend who always admires my bedroom which in his words is “always in ship shape shape”. And he is a land lubber if there ever was one. For those who do not know, I live in a split level home with my bedroom at the ground level and two bedrooms on the upper floor. Visitors wanting to ease themselves after much indulgence prefer to use the facilities downstairs and that is how the ship shape shape has became known to my friend who is a frequent visitor. And without much ado, here is the good Admiral who has given an excellent ten point programme on how to change the world. Not that I am of the graduating age, but it is nice to hear such inspiring thoughts now that I don’t have such lofty aims in life.
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