Today I celebrate my 54th year on this earth! As I look back, I can’t help but stand in pure gratitude for all of the good things that have happened to me. So, lest I bore you with my victories, challenges and struggles, I thought I might give you a little unsolicited advice. I’ll call it, “Confessions of an Old Guy!”
1. The years go by too fast to have not fully participated in them. Young people get so caught up in getting to their “better” future that they forget to live today. At a certain point you will have lived a lot of todays and remember only a few. So make your today memorable!
2. If you can, dance with who brung ya. There will always be a new guy/gal with their promise of something new. But, if you get past your drama years together, you can probably do a lifetime. There’s a comfort in a long-time partner that you haven’t experienced yet. It’s worth the wait. And, who has the energy to train a replacement anyway? 😉
3. The love and admiration of your friends is worth more than all the money in the world. There’s nothing wrong with the money, but one day you’ll realize it’s the love that you were after all along…Don’t get old without a lot of love. A Mercedes is no substitute for a grandchild’s smile or a mother’s kiss. Love is the only thing!
4. Stop judging everything and everyone. Don’t deny others the freedom to choose, that you treasure so dearly. No matter how they look or what they drive or where they live, underneath it all they are just like you with a million variations. People are going to hurt you at times, but it’s usually about them and not you. Forgive them, love them, and let it go. There’s nothing more sad than a 50-year-old still angry with his father.
5. Children are fragile little creatures. They give your words way too much importance. So no matter how you feel; no matter how much stress you got at work; no matter what else is going on in your life, choose what you say to them like their little life depends on it, because it does. They will behave badly. They will disobey. They will drive you nuts at times. But, you must make it your number one job never to negatively define who they are. Address their behaviors. Correct them. But, never, never, ever make a judgment about who they are because they will carry those words to the grave. When you get a little older you will find that they turn into all of those good words you chose to use! All of them…
6. This may sound controversial, but the more money you have, the easier your life will be. Money doesn’t buy happiness, but it does pay off many problems. Do yourself a favor and figure out that money thing as early as you can. The older you get, the more you will want and that’s just how life is. But now, while you are younger, you need more than you have, so give it some serious thought. It won’t just happen one day. You have to make a plan and take some action. When you’re my age you will most likely have it, but why have the stress now? It matters…
7. You are going to spend an enormous amount of time working. In fact, you will spend more time working than anything else you do. Get out of the mindless job category as quickly as you can. Try to be more flexible about what you like to do. I often think the reason people cannot decide what type of work to do is because they are trying to find a job that encompasses everything they like. No job has that! Instead find a job that offers you an opportunity to kick ass at what you do best. And, while we are talking about it, if aint working, get out as soon as you can which translates to – when you find another job and not before!
8. I saved the best for last. Life is spiritual. You were designed to be body, soul (mind) and spirit. You don’t start with spirit and I don’t care what they told you. You have to get spirit by believing. (Romans 10:9-10) Spirit if the real essence of life. Without spirit you aren’t ever going to be happy; at least not like you could be! You’ll never feel the true contentment and satisfaction of life without it. You’ll feel empty because you are empty. But, with spirit inside you and a budding relationship with God, man, nothing is sweeter than that! And when you finally figure out that God is only good always, you’ll be just as happy as can be, even at 54…
Just some good thoughts…
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good words from a wise man,,
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