Oh, Meryl. Swoon. Sigh. Smart, funny, alive, shockingly talented, and inspiringly joyful. Here’s the funny, playful, insightful speech she gave last week at Barnard College on happiness, success, fame, pretending, and becoming authentic. It’s a little all over the place, but it’s 28 minutes of Meryl. ‘Nuff said.

One of my favorite parts: “I know I was invited here because of that–how famous I am. How many awards I’ve won and while I am I am overweeningly proud of the work that, believe me, I did not do on my own, I can assure you that awards have very little bearing on my own personal happiness, my own sense of well-being and purpose in the world. That comes from studying the world feelingly, with empathy in my work. It comes from staying alert and alive and involved in the lives of the people that I love and the people in the wider world who need my help.”

Here’s the whole Meryl Streep 2010 Barnard graduation speech:

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Inspirational Meryl Streep Quotes

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