I was reading a part of Sahil Bloom's newlsetter about a speech by Kurt Vonnegut.
In 1998, Kurt Vonnegut gave the commencement speech at Rice University.
_Up to this point this speech has been new stuff, written for this place and this occasion. But every graduation address I've delivered has ended, and this one will, too, with old stuff about my Uncle Alex, my father's kid brother.
A Harvard graduate, Alex Vonnegut was locally useful in Indianapolis as an honest insurance agent. He was also well-read and wise. One thing which Uncle Alex found objectionable about human beings was that they seldom took time out to notice when they were happy.
He himself did his best to acknowledge it when times were sweet. We could be drinking lemonade in the shade of an apple tree in the summertime, and he would interrupt the conversation to say, "If this isn't nice, what is?"
So, I hope that you Adams and Eves in front of me will do the same for the rest of your lives. When things are going sweetly and peacefully, please pause a moment, and then say out loud:_ "If this isn't nice, what is?"
If you are done reading it what I am saying might make more sense. It was a random Saturday, and I was on one of my coffee shop exploration sojourns. I ended up at a place called Art Cafe just a stone's throw from the bustling and overcrowded Charles Bridge.
A short path takes you away from the crowds into an incredibly peaceful and beautifully designed courtyard. When I sat down at my table the almost complete absence of noise so close to a tourist destination was hard to believe. After ordering some Elderflower Tea I settled down to read.
My tea arrived within minutes. I set my book aside and, cradling the warm cup in my hands, took my first sip. In that moment, I couldn’t help but think of Vonnegut’s words: “If this isn’t nice, then what is?”
Here I was sitting in this incredible space, nestled away from the crowds in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, doing something I deeply loved. Reading. I was fully immersed in this simplest of experiences.
There was a remarkable convergence of events that had to align for me to experience this moment. I had countless reasons to thank my family for pushing me to explore new horizons. My wife, who generously supported me in pursuing this dream. A job that provides the time and freedom to enjoy spontaneous coffee trips.
There are so many of these moments that come and go in our lives. And we barely notice them as they pass us by. In the quiet spaces between our bustling days, there lies a profound magic—if only we pause long enough to whisper, "If this isn't nice, what is?"