Lessons from Life At 60
I have reached an important milestone.
Today, I turned sixty.
I think I’ve learned a lot in sixty years, but one thinking that they are wise is the same as a person saying that they are humble.
It’s the opposite of humility to say that you’re humble.
It’s the opposite of wisdom to say that you’re wise.
But I’ve learned a few things during the past sixty years.
The following are some of the lessons learned:
· Be thankful for growing up in a loving, stable home. It creates a strong, healthy foundation.
· If you have been blessed with good health, you have truly been blessed
· Don’t be afraid to have your own mind. The distance between the crowd and a mob is razor thin.
· Your mind is your strongest muscle. Exercise it and keep it sharp.
· Don’t underestimate the value of a kind word or a hug. Even if it’s awkward (and I’m as awkward as humanly possible), demonstrate love as often as possible with words and deeds.
· You’re always stronger than you think. If you disagree, wait and see.
· Stubbornness is one of the best/worst human traits. It gets you through bad times but prevents you from running away from the wrong thing.
· You can’t always get what you want. Be thankful.
· God is real, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise
· Make time for your friends before someone’s time runs out
· Work hard, but don’t let your job kill you. No matter how great you are, you are replaceable.
· Sometimes love rushes you, but make sure you don’t rush love
· Every mistake has a lesson, and if you don’t learn it, you will repeat the mistake until you do learn it
· Love your children well. You’ll never regret it.
· Invest in relationships. (I’m an introvert, and it’s hard for me, but I will keep trying until I run out of birthdays).
· Speak up and out. The longer you are silent, the longer you are complicit in wrongdoing.
· If speaking the truth causes you to lose friends, life has done you a favor.
· If someone says something in public that you disagree with, approach them privately. That’s the sign of a true friend.
· Discomfort can become a habit. Like any habit, it can be broken, and you can be retrained.
· Sometimes you have to go to bed angry because you have to process the issue
· Marriage is work, and anyone who says it is not work is single, unhappily married, or married to someone who is unhappily married
· Communication is important in every relationship. Never assume that someone knows how you feel or what you want.
· Say “I love you” often unless it’s untrue
· The less you worry about what other people think, the freer you live, think, and feel
· Don’t be rude and excuse it by saying you’re “speaking your mind.”
· Tact is useful every day
· The smartest action is leaving a stupid comment unsaid
· Always remember that giving advice is like owning a store. Sometimes people will find something they need, sometimes they won’t, and some people are just window shopping.