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WATCH: Sheryl Sandberg’s Powerful Commencement Speech About Resilience

The “Lean In” author spoke about the importance of persistence in the face of tragedy.

The author of Lean In also wants students to learn how to bounce back. Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook’s chief operating officer, spoke to the graduating class of the University of California at Berkeley on Saturday about how to survive and even thrive after tragic losses.

“I am not here to tell you all the things I’ve learned in life,” Sandberg told the new graduates. “Today I will try to tell you what I learned in death.”

Speaking publicly for the first time about the sudden passing of her husband, SurveyMonkey CEO Dave Goldberg, Sandberg told students that it is possible to survive the pain of losing a loved one.

“Dave’s death changed me in very profound ways,” she said. “I learned about the depths of sadness and the brutality of loss. But I also learned that when life sucks you under, you can kick against the bottom, break the surface, and breathe again. I learned that in the face of the void—or in the face of any challenge—you can choose joy and meaning.”

For the full speech, watch the video above.

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Nathan Place

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