“What Now?” by Ann Patchett

As spring approaches, and with it, graduations across the country, I like to find the time to reflect on Ann Patchett’s 2008 graduation speech and short book, What Now? A friend gave it to me a while back in preparation for my own graduation (probably for fear the speaker would fail to enlighten us), and I come back time and time again, finding its wisdom remarkably timeless. The idea of “what now?” applies to more areas in life than just graduation; it applies to our modern need to constantly impress and improve. In the process of constantly looking ahead, we miss out on what’s truly important in the moment.

Photo by Richard Zimmerman

One quote in particular speaks to me because it focuses on taking your life seriously while enjoying it at the same time. “Maybe this is the moment you shift from seeing ‘what now’ as one more thing to check off the list and start to see it as two words worth living by,” she writes, “If you’re trying to find out what’s coming next, turn off everything you own that has an OFF switch and listen. Make up some plans and change them. Identify your heart’s truest desire and don’t change that for anything (78).” I’ve always associated negative feelings with the question “what now?”, but after reading this passage several times, it finally sunk in and changed my perspective. Leading your life doesn’t have to involve anxiety about the “right” path. Being in the moment doesn’t mean throwing out all your plans for the future or refusing to plan altogether. Rather, it means listening to your heart with genuine interest and being willing to change your plans to meet its needs as you go along.

 

“If you’re trying to find out what’s coming next, turn off everything you own that has an OFF switch and listen. Make up some plans and change them. Identify your heart’s truest desire and don’t change that for anything.”

As explained by Patchett, the question “what now?” should guide us to keep evolving and live our fullest life. “What now?” involves tuning into your innermost needs, and leaving room for the spontaneity that makes life worth living. Otherwise, if we adhere to the expectations of others without deviation, we are simply throttling toward death without really living. While we can’t control most things in life, we can control the way we think about it.

Do you find yourself asking “what now?” and does it affect your life in a positive way?

You might also be interested in:

• Book Review: Ann Patchett’s Truth & Beauty – A remarkable story about friendship, love, life, and death (sevenponds.com)
• Book Review: The Namesake, by Jhumpa Lahiri – Sensitive, honest portrayal of loss in the story of the Ganguli family (sevenponds.com)