Things I have learned...so far

I have my 62nd birthday coming up December 5 and I thought this would be a good time to think about the things I have learned so far:

1. It is frequently said that life is not fair but I think in a way it is fair--everyone has their trials, tribulations, worries, disappointments, and losses.

2. Everything is connected; there is a web of living and non-living and it is all intertwined.

3. The old virtues still stand--honesty, kindness, forgiveness, humility, patience.

4. Today is important; yesterday is gone and you may not get a tomorrow. Shed some light today.

5. People are about as happy as they decide to be.

6. Choose to surround yourself with beauty--music, nature, art.

7. We do have a purpose--it is to help.

8. What you send out generally comes back to you.

9. Be kind, gentle, and forgiving both to others and to yourself.

10. Don't just sit there--learn something! We aren't born knowing how to do a whole lot so the only way anyone gets good at anything is to start awful, make a ton of mistakes, and learn.

11. Be interested. Life is about as interesting as you are interested.

12. Laugh...often.

13. Share.

14. Get some rest, take a nap.

15. The borrower really is slave to the lender--get out of debt.

16. Things (and kids) always take longer and cost more than you ever thought possible.