Sunday, November 30, 2008

Life Lessons from an Email.

I just received this in an email from Laurie. It is all good, but has a few especially good thoughts. I enjoyed reading it... hope you do too...

This was Written By Regina Brett of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio

'To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It's the most-requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolls over to 90 in August, so here goes:'

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

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 pay cheque.

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 except you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years time, 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. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

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 of dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.

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 sho w up.

44. Yield.

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

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

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

I'm sorry it IS NOT OK to get angry with GOD. Who ever wrote this needs to go to church. PLEASE!! People need to stop blamming god for their problems, he is here for us all

Vincent said...

I certainly enjoyed reading it. Thanks for sharing!

Sue said...

Ok, I don't know who Anonymous is... but I had paused over this line as well. But I'm not mad at the person who wrote the line. I believe that God CAN take it if we are angry at him. But I also believe that, when we are angry at God, WE are the people who are most hurt.

I think maybe getting angry at God is fine, as long as we work through it and realize that we are wrong and then apologize to God.

I'm not a big church-goer, though.

Anonymous said...

Regina's not quite THAT old. She reprinted this list -- and added five more lessons -- when she turned 50, not 90. You can see her full list online.