I miss you Sam!!

I miss you Sam!!
I miss you Sam!!

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Life Lessons Worth Practicing

The following has been around for a while, I keep it on the wall next to my desk. It's worth reading every day as a reminder of what's important.

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written.

My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life.. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come.

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."


Friends are the family that we choose for ourselves.

13 comments:

Sunny said...

Great words to live by. Thanks for sharing.
Sunny :)

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

Takes a lifetime to learn some of these, and if perchance we do, while we are still young - we often don't believe them. Too bad.

Thanks for posting the list!

Ugich Konitari said...

Sylvia,

Great words. Maybe I need to put them up beside my desk...Thank you for posting this.

Elizabeth Bradley said...

Some of the things on this list are easier to do than others, but all of them make sense and should be followed.

pink dogwood said...

I will save this and read this occasionally as well :)

bobbie said...

Yes. I have seen this one, and I can understand why you keep it where you can see it as a reminder. Good one.

Chris said...

Great guide except for the wearing lingerie part....I'd look silly.

Mare said...

I have seen this before, and it was good to read again.

Linda Pendleton said...

Very good, Sylvia. Thanks. :-)

chrome3d said...

I believe in miracles but I haven´t saved much and the first paychecks are long gone. Can I combine those two...ooo, somehow?

Susan at Stony River said...

What a wealth of wisdom: worth printing! Thanks Sylvia!

storyteller said...

Wonderful list. I'm not sure if I've seen it before, but I've made a copy to insert in my journal ... just because. Thanks for sharing ;--)
Hugs and blessings,

dianasfaria.com said...

I love this post. May I use it on my Lily blog Sylvia?
What great messages.

What Can I Say?

What Can I Say?
I'm interested in almost everything. Use to like to travel, but it's too expensive now. I take Tai Chi classes, swim, volunteer in a Jump-start program for pre-schoolers. I'm an avid reader and like nearly everyone these days I follow politics avidly. I'm a former teacher and Special Projects Coordinator for a Telecommunications company, Assistant to the President of a Japanese silicon wafer manufacturing company. Am now enjoying retirement -- most of the time. I have two daughters, one son-in-law and two sons scattered all over the country. No grandchildren.

Portland Time