Lessons in life?

[Paulps]

This was sent to me in an e-mail. Any thoughts?

Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio.
"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. Its OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. Its OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come...
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

My wife says no.10 is spot on!!

[RayL]

Lots to agree with, though references to a supernatural being seem out of place.
Ray

[roninnes]

Ray methinks you should read them all again.
If people wish to make reference to God then that is their choice, and one of the statements made says agree to disagree.
You may not share that particular belief and that is your choice but many do and that is what we enjoy is this democracy, the freedom to choose, so let's not criticise others for their beliefs.

Ron

[Iain Purdon]

Hear hear

[RayL]

Hmm. As an experiment, in place of the word 'God', try substituting 'Thor' or 'Zeus' or 'Allah' or any one of the thousands of other supernatural beings that people have chosen to worship over the centuries, despite having no valid evidence of their existence. Would you say that the Regina Brett's statements were then equally valid?

If you say "yes", does that not leave you feeling uncomfortable that her particular God is equally as valid as all these others, many of which have characteristics that clash with Ms Brett's statements? On the other hand, if you say "no" you will be saying that her particular supernatural being is valid but all others are not, a position which (despite its absurdity) has caused much chaos and bloodshed over the years.

If you look again at my previous message, you'll see that I didn't criticize her belief, I said that references to a supernatural being seemed out of place. She is, of course, free to have faith ("belief without evidence") in whatever she chooses. I just felt that her good statements about the lives and actions of real, living human beings were diminished when linked in with statements about the supernatural.

By the way, with reference to '"democracy, the freedom to choose", would you say that the idea of one all-powerful God who rules all the universe was a democratic idea? Or that religious organizations are, by and large, democratic?

Ray

[Iain Purdon]

Good questions!

On your first, No. I know of no evidence that it's OK to get angry with Thor. Indeed I suspect a thunderbolt would be forthcoming.

On your last, No again. I'd say it was a theocratic idea.

I'd add that religion is indeed organisation but faith is a personal experience.

Iain

[shadowhunters]

As I am only 13, I must keep these in mind for the future thanks for posting

Sam.