My own life is wonderful, but if I had to live the life of

When Julia Glass declared, “My own life is wonderful, but if I had to live the life of someone else, I'd gladly choose that of Julia Child or Dr. Seuss: two outrageously original people, each of whom fashioned an idiosyncratic wisdom, passion for life, and sense of humor into an art form that anyone and everyone could savor,” she offered not a mere preference, but a revelation—a testament to the sacred art of living with joy, creativity, and courage. In her words lives an ancient truth: that to live well is to live originally, to take one’s peculiar spark and let it illuminate the world. The names she chose—Julia Child and Dr. Seuss—are not random but symbolic, embodiments of two different paths to the same summit: the creation of joy as art and authenticity as legacy.

For Julia Child, life was a feast—literally and spiritually. She took the humble act of cooking and transformed it into a hymn of celebration, proving that mastery and mirth could coexist. With her booming laugh and unflappable grace, she made the kitchen a temple of humanity, where failure was but a step toward delight. She showed that passion for life is not confined to grand gestures but flourishes in the daily acts of creation—the slicing of an onion, the stirring of a sauce, the courage to try again when the soufflé falls. Her art was not just food, but the joy of imperfection, the wisdom that to savor life, one must embrace its mess.

Dr. Seuss, by contrast, crafted universes not from flavor but from imagination. Through whimsical words and strange creatures, he revealed the idiosyncratic wisdom that hides within simplicity. Beneath the rhyme and rhythm of his tales lay profound truths—the kind that speak to both child and elder. His humor was a mirror reflecting the absurdities of existence, and his originality was an act of rebellion against dullness and conformity. He taught that to be “outrageously original” is not folly—it is courage. It is the art of keeping one’s soul alive in a world that too often rewards imitation.

Julia Glass’s admiration for these two giants of joy reveals her own creed: that the highest form of living is to turn passion and humor into service. Both Child and Seuss gave themselves to the world not through speeches or sermons, but through art that nourished. One fed the body and the spirit through flavor; the other fed the mind and heart through wonder. And this, the ancients knew, is the measure of greatness—not wealth or fame, but the ability to leave others more alive than you found them.

In ancient Greece, there lived a philosopher named Democritus, often called “the laughing philosopher.” He believed that laughter was a sign of understanding—that to laugh is to see through illusion and to accept life as it is. Like Child and Seuss, he turned humor into wisdom, and wisdom into peace. When others took the world too seriously, he laughed not to mock, but to liberate. In this way, he embodied what Julia Glass calls “idiosyncratic wisdom”—a kind of truth that does not preach, but plays. To live like that is to master the art of being human: to find meaning not in control, but in delight.

And so, the origin of Glass’s quote lies in reverence—not for perfection, but for authentic aliveness. She honors those who lived not cautiously, but vividly—who followed the fire within them until it became a beacon for others. To choose the lives of Julia Child or Dr. Seuss is to choose laughter over fear, curiosity over judgment, and the freedom to create without apology. It is to say: If I must live another life, let it be one that sings, one that nourishes, one that reminds others to dance in their own peculiar way.

The lesson is clear and eternal: originality is an act of generosity. To live authentically is to offer the world something it has never seen before—you. Do not seek to mirror the greatness of others; seek to embody the uniqueness that burns quietly within you. Cultivate your passions, no matter how humble. Stir them like Julia Child stirred her sauces—with patience, laughter, and love. Speak your truths as Dr. Seuss spoke his—colorful, brave, and alive. Let your humor soften your hardships, and let your creativity guide you through the dullness of routine.

For those who listen with their hearts, Julia Glass’s words are not merely admiration—they are instruction. They say: live outrageously, live joyfully, live wisely. Let your work, your laughter, your daily rituals become your art. And when the world grows gray, remember that it is the colorful souls—the Julias, the Seusses, and perhaps even you—who remind us that life, when lived with courage and humor, is not just existence. It is a masterpiece to be savored.