49 Lessons Learned in 49 Years

Birthdays are inevitable, beautiful and very particular moments in our lives! Moments that bring precious memories back, celebrate the present times and give hope for the future.
— Bsbr Arish
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Birthdays.  I’m kind of getting over them.  There’s really nothing I need, and nothing the family needs to try to surprise me with.

So this year, I thought about this annual milestone differently.

“Now that I’m in my 50th year, what exactly have I contributed to the world in that time?  What have I learned from the world in that time?”

As my contributions to the world are still up for debate, I will focus instead on some lessons learned.

WARNING:  they aren’t equal to one another in depth or importance, but they were 49 of the first to come to mind.

1.     Pretzels are not enough food, no matter how short the flight. (Yes, I wrote this on the plane.)

2.    If you buy it, now you’ve got to store it.

3.    Stretch marks and varicose veins are a small price to pay for bringing another person into the world.

4.    Husbands and wives should have their own interests, to keep them interesting to each other.

5.    Rubber floor mats in a car are worth every penny of the price.

6.    80’s music makes you feel young and energetic enough to clean house.

7.    The friends you’ve starved with, are the best ones to celebrate with.

8.    Simplify life with a signature dish to take to parties, gift to take to weddings, note to send at graduation.

9.    Understanding introverts and extroverts helps reduce feeling annoyed.

10.  Never say never, or you’ll be sure to do it. And if YOU don’t, one of your kids will.

11.  If you long for a vacation, plan for it yourself.  No plans guarantees no vacations.

12.  Don’t start a request of someone with “Would you like to….”, it rarely garners support.

13.  Life is too adventurous to be hampered by uncomfortable shoes.

14.  Step outside to watch the lightening, or smell the rain.  It heals the soul.

15.  Just buy a dang “Hide-a-Key!”

16.  Not every “good time” you have instantly qualifies for turning it into an annual tradition.

17.  Matching storage containers and a label-maker produce order out of chaos.

18.  Hang out the nation’s flag, then say a silent prayer of thanks and ask for safety.

19.  People smarter than you should be embraced, not feared.

20.  Give, give, give, then when things change, feel good about receiving.

21.  College isn’t about the degree you earn, it’s about gaining confidence that you CAN be taught.

22.  Visit or write the lonely.  Where your weeks fly by, theirs crawl.

23.  Guard your loved one’s reputations.  If the story isn’t yours to share, don’t.

24.  Buy dollar store drinking glasses.  They shatter on tile just like the nice one’s do, but you won’t freak over it.

25.  Massage helps keep you structurally sound.

26.  Invite others in to enjoy your yard, your porch, and your home and you’ll be blessed with deeper friendships.

27.  Not everyone will be excited about your big ideas, and that’s okay.  They need to reserve energy for big ideas of their own.

28.  Write up your life experiences.  Someone (or more likely many someone’s) will think they are a treasure.

29.  “Hi, my name is ______, what’s yours?” is a door opener to a fascinating new experience.

30.  Biographies teach you that great people start out as just people, and through their decisions and God’s timing they became the influencers you would read about in a biography.

31.  Identify sacred places in your life and visit them often.

32.  “That sounds wonderful, thank you for thinking of us, but I’m afraid we won’t be able to make it.” is all the explanation you need when you can’t fit in another invitation.

33.  Cut way back on the things that aren’t good for your body and flood it with the things that are.

34.  Remember the mantra “It’s not about me” and repeat it often when your feelings get hurt.

35.  Honor your parents, even if it’s only for giving you life.

36.  Teens want to talk at night, not in the morning.  Don’t be irked, just adjust.

37.  Every person you meet is a bona fide expert in something, so learn what it is.

38.  Kids need a dog.

39.  Open the curtains to signal the body and family that the day has begun, close them to signal safety and rest.

40.  Find clues about yourself in what others say about you.  Either own it or change it.

41.  Everyone spends their money differently. Don’t judge because their priorities are different from yours.

42.  If you start to read, watch, or attend something that turns out to be raunchy, don’t finish it, no matter how much you paid for it.

43.  Written thank you notes are a sign of class.

44.  Believe that others are trying their best—even if you believe they are misguided on what is best.

45.  Peaches are the fruit of the gods…no room for debate.

46.  Always attend funerals.

47.  Vacuuming is a most satisfying household chore…tied with weeding.

48.  A sincere compliment is a quick way to warm up a conversation.

49.  Having all the bells and whistles doesn’t bring happiness--faith, family and friends do.

 

Delighted to have been alive so long!

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