Saturday, May 14, 2011

As I near 30...

Many of you reading are laughing at me right now.  Either because you're way past 30 and you think I'm being young and naive, or because you are way under 30 and you can't believe that I'm almost that old.  For the record, I am 27, the same age Jason was when we met and he is now 33... so it's only a matter of time before I hit the big 3-0. 

In light of this I want to share some tips for staying young, or at least aging gracefully, that I've come across over the years (mostly from chain emails lol).  Me and my old wisdom :-)

1. Throw out non-essential numbers:
These include age, weight and height.  Let the doctors worry about them, that's what we pay them for.

2. Only keep cheerful and joyous friends:
Grouches will pull you down and age you faster then you realize.  Gossip, however fun, is vile.

3. Never stop learning:
Learning something new, on the computer, in the garden, a craft, whatever... never let the brain idle. An idle brain is the devil's workshop- and the devil's name is Alzheimer's.

4. The tears happen:
Endure, grieve and move on.  The only person who is with us our entire life, is ourself. Be ALIVE while you are alive.

5. Tell people you love them:
All the time.

6. Enjoy your children every single moment of every single day:
Before you know it they will be all grown up and no longer smell like baby shampoo after a bath.

7. Take pictures:
Capture as much as you can so you can share, remember, cherish and preserve.  It already amazes me how much Eva has changed in photos just since last summer.  See #6 for extra proof!

8. Don't put a price on doing something you love:
Okay so maybe not love, but at least enjoy.  After having to leave a job I hated, I was so focused on money that I didn't stop to make sure I found a job a could enjoy.  Thankfully, God took care of it for me, and I realize now that you cannot put a price on enjoying your work, your co-workers, your boss... we spend almost 50 years of our lives at work, don't waste it at a place you hate.

9. Don't be jealous:
I know this is much easier said than done but as Baz Luhrmann put it, "Don’t waste your time on jealousy, sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind, the race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself."

10. Be good to your body:
Whether this means eating right, running, stretching, quitting cigarettes, putting down the bottle or putting on sunscreen.  It's the only one you've got.

11. See God:
See God in everything. See God in everyone.  See God everywhere.  I cannot imagine aging without a firm belief that I'm going somewhere great when I leave this world. 

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