Fawn Parish > Quotes

“Every time I am ready to ride off on my high horse about this generation’s lack of commitment I have to face a stark reality: They learned that lack of commitment from my generation. They grew up with marital commitment that mainly meant “I am in until something better comes along.” Is it any wonder they think time commitments are not really binding? Each generation has it values and hierarchy of ideals. When those values clash, we want to run as fast as we can to the security of our own culture.”
― Fawn Parish, Living a Life that Outlives You

“Blinking was how Jean-Dominique Bauby wrote the beautiful book, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. In December 1995, Bauby, the editor–in-chief of Elle magazine, experienced a massive stroke that plunged him into a 20 day coma. He awoke paralyzed—except for his eyes (one of which was sewn up due to a fluid problem), and some limited movement of his head. Jean-Dominque wrote The Diving Bell and the Butterfly using 200,000 blinks of his left eye. An average word took approximately two minutes. Using partner-assisted scanning with a French language French-ordered alphabet (E, S, A, R, I, N, T, U, L, etc.), the entire book was written by Bauby. The book took him ten months to complete, working four hours a day. Most of us would have looked at the odds, the time commitment, the perseverance required and given up after the first sentence. But Jean-Dominique knew the power of intentionality. He was determined to seize not only what is, but what could be. Intentional people never settle. Intentionality is at war with normality. If you want to live a life that outlives you, learn to loathe the mediocre.”
― Fawn Parish, Living a Life that Outlives You