my advice to the young and old, and especially myself

actually, this would have been my dad's advice. but always late to the party, i'm just now fully realizing it.

the advice? lighten up. enjoy what there is to enjoy. quit bitching and worrying about the things that are wrong. and be joyous about the things that are right.

and that doesn't mean you don't need to fix things that are broken. or that you should ignore and walk away from people who need you. or that you can't work on making things better. or that you can't be sad. or even at times, impatient and irritable. or angry. this is not hakuna matata.

but it does mean that you can focus your inner-most thoughts on the good things, the better part of the time.

if you have a husband who loves you, be glad of it. don't constantly obsess on that he's not perfect in so many ways. he tries.

if you have a family who stands by you, be grateful for that. don't constantly bemoan that they have shortcomings and have made mistakes. or that they have the most annoying idiosyncrasies and bad habits.

if you have a world around you that offers you laughter and cheeseburgers and pie for dessert, don't zero-in on your lack of a five course meal.

if you have rain, be glad that you have an umbrella.

if you drop the ball, pick it up, throw it back, and try to catch the next one.

if you have snow, be glad that you have a snow shovel and an unbroken back.

if someone shows you a bug or a slimy snake, don't run away and scream, overcome your fear and touch it. (except for turtles, if someone shows you a turtle, run. like the wind.)

if you have a house to live in and food to eat, a job and transportation to get you where you're going, don't look down on people who don't. even if they are smoking a cigarette.

if you have people who have hurt you to the core, don't retaliate or dwell on it, maybe someday, they'll say they are sorry. or maybe not. but if they never do, realize that's got nothing to do with you and the kind of person you are. and it has everything to do with the kind of person they are. but even so, just be glad that you are not them and don't hate them for it. hate changes nothing for the better.

if someone throws out an insult to you, smile and take it. know that you are not what they say.


but most of all, if the sun is shining and you have a glass of punch in your hand, drink it up.