Risk & Business Magazine JGS Insurance Risk & Business Magazine Spring 2018 | Page 7

Wear Sunscreen
New Beginnings
A
BY: BERNIE COSENTINO,
VICE PRESIDENT, JGS INSURANCE
DEAR READERS: Do one thing every day that scares you.
s I contemplated what I would
like to share with you in this
edition it struck me that it
is two weeks away from the
New Year 2018 and that my
contribution to this publication would
be read in the Spring 2018 edition of JGS
Insurance Risk & Business Magazine and
a decision was made to skip an insurance
topic this go round. Sing.
With the advent of spring and summer upon
us, I reflected back to an essay I stumbled
upon 20 years ago and re-visited recently
that had affected me positively at both the
age of 36 and 56 although in different ways.
Spring is a time of new beginnings, not only
seasonally, but personally whether it be
graduations or nuptials or even the start of a
new job for recent grads.
Don't be reckless with other people's hearts. Don't
put up with people who are reckless with yours.
Floss.
Don't waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes
you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race
is long and, in the end, it's only with yourself.
Remember compliments you receive. Forget the
insults. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how.
Keep your old love letters. Throw away your old
bank statements.
Stretch.
Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want
to do with your life. The most interesting people
I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to
do with their lives. Some of the most interesting
40-year-olds I know still don't.
Understand that friends come and go, but with
a precious few you should hold on. Work hard to
bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle, because
the older you get, the more you need the people
who knew you when you were young.
Live in New York City once, but leave before it
makes you hard.
Live in Northern California once, but leave before
it makes you soft.
Travel.
Accept certain inalienable truths: Prices will rise.
Politicians will philander. You, too, will get old.
And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you
were young, prices were reasonable, politicians
were noble, and children respected their elders.
Respect your elders.
To that end I surely hope that you enjoy the
following essay “Wear Sunscreen” By Mary
Schmich of the Chicago Tribune as she wrote
it as a satirical commencement speech (1) . Get plenty of calcium. Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe
you have a trust fund. Maybe you'll have a
wealthy spouse. But you never know when either
one might run out.
Be kind to your knees. You'll miss them when
they're gone. Don't mess too much with your hair or by the
time you're 40 it will look 85.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of '97: Wear
sunscreen. Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't. Maybe
you'll have children, maybe you won't. Maybe
you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky
chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary.
Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too
much, or berate yourself either. Your choices are
half chance. So are everybody else's. Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient
with those who supply it. Advice is a form of
nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way of fishing the
past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over
the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's
worth.
Enjoy your body. U se it every way you can. Don't
be afraid of it or of what other people think of it.
It's the greatest instrument you'll ever own. Hopefully Dear readers you too were able
to take something away from this essay and
if you have, do share with friends and loved
ones and remember summer is coming so
don’t forget the sunscreen. +
If I could offer you only one tip for the future,
sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of
sunscreen have been proved by scientists whereas
the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable
than my own meandering experience. I will
dispense this advice now.
Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Oh,
never mind. You will not understand the power
and beauty of your youth until they've faded. But
trust me, in 20 years, you'll look back at photos
of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp
now how much possibility lay before you and how
fabulous you really looked. You are not as fat as
you imagine.
Don't worry about the future. Or worry, but know
that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an
algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. The
real troubles in your life are apt to be things that
never crossed your worried mind, the kind that
blind side you at 4 PM on some idle Tuesday.
Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your
living room.
Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.
Do not read beauty magazines. They will only
make you feel ugly.
Get to know your parents. You never know when
they'll be gone for good.
Be nice to your siblings. They're your best link to
your past and the people most likely to stick with
you in the future.
But trust me on the sunscreen.
(1) Mary Schmich is an American journalist. She has been a columnist for
the Chicago Tribune since 1992, winning the Pulitzer Prize in 2012.
Bernie Cosentino is celebrating his 34rd year in
the insurance industry. Born, bred and educated
in NJ he is a proud father to his adult children
Joseph and Maria. Bernie is currently in his
17th year at JGS Insurance as A Vice President
and broker/producer diligently pursuing the
most competitive and comprehensive insurance
program to a wide range of customer base.
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