“Taylor Swift would be a great motivational speaker,” our 12-year-old daughter commented, having just attended a concert last weekend. I didn’t go to the concert so I asked her and her sister more about what Taylor Swift shared during her three-hour performance.
The singer-songwriter talked about a number of topics: Being yourself and taking pride in that; Being open to opportunities; Being able to find comfort in those who support you rather than getting bogged down in the noise of those who turn against you; Being able to get up and move forward after rejection; Respecting the opinions of others, especially when we don’t agree with them.
I find these to be tremendously important thoughts to share with young people (and perhaps not so young). Taylor Swift is a superstar yet despite her fame and fortune, she seems to be a rather down-to-earth human being. In this day of millions of messages hitting our ears, and being absorbed into our minds, especially the young developing minds of children and adolescents, it is a blessing to know that there are positively influential and inspirational voices out there like Taylor Swift’s.
Since the concert on Saturday, I have been thinking about Grandpa Peale and the impact his messages of positive attitude, respect for others, and care of oneself have had on the world, messages that remain relevant today. I know he would have enjoyed speaking with Taylor Swift and learning from her. He would have appreciated her talents, her energy and her wisdom in using her platform as one of the best-known people in the entertainment world to positively impact lives through her spoken and sung messages.
