Words to Live By: tips from a speech never given mary schmich Ladies and Gentlemen: Wear sunscreen. If i could offer only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. THe long-term benefites of sunscreen ahve been proved by scientist, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advise 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 how fabulous you reall ylloked at the time. You are not as fat as you imagine. Don't worry about the furture. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solce and algebra equation by chewing gum. Real troubles are apt to blindside you at 4 p.m. on and idle Tuesday. DO one thing daily that scares you sing don't be reckless with other people's hearts. don't put up with people who are reckless with yours floss remember compliments, for get insults keep old love letters. throw away old bank statements. stretch don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. some of the most interesting 40 year olds i know still don't know what they want to do with theirs. be kind to your knees. you 'll miss them when they're gone Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't. maybe you'll have children, mayber you wonj't. mayber youll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary. Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself or berate yourself too much. your choices are half chance, like everybody else's dance read teh 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. be nice to your siblings. they're the best link to your past and the most likely to stick with you. understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on. THe older you get , the more you need the people who knoew you when you were young. travel accept theses cerain truths: prices will rise. polititians will philander. you, too, will get old. and then you'll fantasize that when you were young, prices were noble and children respected their elders. respect your elders don't expect anyone else to support you. maybe you havea trust fund. maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse. but you neveerknow when eigther one mightr run out. don't mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will look 85 be careful whose adviece you buy, but be paitnt