I have reached a certain age where I think perhaps I have learned a few of life’s lessons. One would think, at my age, I would have learned more of life’s lessons by now, but I am an admittedly slow learner. I also tend to learn things the hard way. I keep trying to avoid that and just learn without having to hit all the bumps in the road. I’m just not very good at it. I have, however, finally achieved a measure of wisdom I can share.

Things I Have Learned:
(Certainly not original, but as I said I’m a bit of a slow learner)

1. If you fail to wear the retainer the orthodontist had specially made for you because you just don’t think it’s very sexy to wear a retainer once you’re married, you will end up wearing braces again when you are in your fifties (not very attractive).

2. There really is no such thing as a right to happiness. I bought into that idea when I was younger, and all it got me was a lot of heartache. You cannot live a totally selfish life and expect to be happy. The Lord has promised me joy, but He never promised I would always be happy.

3. Words are powerful. When I lash out in anger, it hurts. When I talk about someone close to me to others, they are left with all those negative thoughts long after I have gotten over my problem. When I “share” information about someone else, it is always hurtful to someone. When I use words in a positive way, they bless, encourage and edify.

4. God’s grace truly is amazing. I have agonized over the mistakes I made as a Mom – lost sleep thinking about them. When I asked my children to forgive me for my failures, they don’t even remember them. They tell me what a great Mom I was. That’s God’s grace in their lives.

5. Don’t sweat the small stuff. There are some things that really aren’t important. I don’t want to be so concerned with the external “stuff” I don’t take care of what counts for eternity.

6. Every day is a precious gift. I have learned to stop looking ahead to things I want to do “some day” and treasure each day.

7. The ability to listen is a precious gift. I tend to want to be able to solve someone else’s problems with a timely “word of wisdom”. I think a hurting heart is much more in need of a listening heart.

8 Solomon was right, “there is nothing new under the sun”. Human nature simply does not change.

9. Being a “people pleaser” is not a good thing. I have to learn this lesson over and over again. I so want to be liked ; it sometimes renders me incapable of doing what needs to be done or confronting things that need to be dealt with.

10. Honesty really is the best policy. Have you ever noticed how difficult it is not to lie – ever? I thought I was an honest person until I began to truly listen to my own words. I tend to “shade the truth” when I don’t want to appear to be in the wrong. I tend to “exaggerate” just to make the story sound a little better. It is never the right thing to do (of course I don’t mean that I would ever want to hurt someone with my honesty – that isn’t right either).

These are a few of the things I’ve learned. Nothing very profound, but they are all things that in one way or another have helped me grow a bit. The one overriding thing I know is that there needs to be in my life much more of Jesus and much less of me. Then I will be the me He created me to be and I will be rich indeed.

Blessings,
Linda