Monday, May 22, 2006

51 Years of Practice

So what is it that I've been practicing for 51 years? Life, my friends. Today is my birthday. I am 51. And so, I'd like to share a few of life's lessons that I've learned during these 51 years.


  • It's better to want what you have, than have what you want
  • Children actually do much better if they don't have what everybody else has.
  • You don't have to go on lavish vacations.
  • You should never accrue large balances on your credit cards.
  • You should always exercise even when you don't feel like it, especially when you don't feel like it.
  • Money spent on books and music and healthy food is never wasted.
  • Eating together as a family is really, really important.
  • Never be reluctant to apologize to your spouse or your kids.
  • Talk to God all the time and ask his advice.
  • Don't work at a job that doesn't suit you.
  • Appreciate the fact that God created this planet for you, and that gives you some responsibility for it.
  • Always treat people that serve you with respect and dignity.
  • Your home needs to be a place of peace.
  • Try to see people as God sees them.
  • There are still heroes of faith today.
  • Not all church people are nice.
  • It does feel better to give than to receive.
  • When you look at your kids and see God reflected in their lives, it makes all the sacrifices it took to get there, really, really unimportant.
  • People are more important than things.

There's more I know, but this will have to do for a start.

2 Comments:

Blogger JTB said...

Some things I learned from you:

Knitting is therapeutic.

Cooking well is an art and a service that is never unappreciated.

Sometimes you should say it like it is, and sometimes you shouldn't.

Short hair is cool.

Doing your very best is the standard, not the exception.

Kind falsehoods and inflated grades are damaging to people, not helpful.

Makeup is unnecessary for real beauty (and I'm not spiritualizing here).

When you look at your parents and finally see the enormity of what they've done (and do) for you, no sacrifice, however "trivial," is unimportant, because it all shows they love you.

4:26 PM  
Blogger mom23 said...

You are an amazing woman, Pat! Happy Belated Birthday.

8:29 PM  

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