Life's Lessons

You may well of heard of Regina Brett, "the 90 year old of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland Ohio" and author of "45 Life Lessons & 5 To Grow On".

Take a look at the photo on your left, that's her, looking good for a 90 year old, how many of us wish we could look that great at the age we are now, never mind at 90. That's because Regina isn't 90.

I first came across her when I got an e-mail way back in 2007, about the life's lessons, tbh, I didn't take much notice, but every now and then "Life's Lessons" would pop up, in some e-mail or another and I was beginning to get bored of it all, it sort of felt like spam, you know how annoying that can be.

Yesterday, I was going through my list of blogs I follow, I do follow a lot, but mostly privately, anyway I got to Ben's Blog
I like Ben's Blog, I just wish he'd blog a bit more, as he has some very sensible things to say.
If you read this Ben, please blog more, people will like you.

Anyway, up popped Regina's Life Lessons on Ben's blog, it's almost as if the cosmos wants me to take this list about life far more seriously, I have after all come across it so regularly I can now quote a fair amount of it, I have nothing against the list. I actually think it's well written and very insightful. It's certainly given me food for thought.

So after tripping over the list so many times, curiosity got the better of me and I thought I would try to find out more about the author, one tiny Google search later and I had discovered that while the list is very very real, that Regina Brett does exist, she isn't 90 years old and in fact the Life's Lessons, has taken on a whole inter-net life of it's own travelling the World by cyber-space.

Suddenly Regina has gained 40years of life and has e-mails flooding in from around the World asking her if it really is her in the photo, as she looks amazing for 90.
Regina is a serious journalist who was also nominated for The 2009Pulizter Prize For Journalism
I have spent the day reading her column, I like this woman, she is the kind of woman I would want to have coffee with get to know better, to have as a girlfriend. She speaks openly, honestly, while all the time telling you simply how it is. Regina speaks her mind, but not in a patronizing way or with that sort of superior manner some journalist use, but rather straight from the heart, saying things that many of us only think or say amongst close family & friends for fear of being judged too harshly and considered heartless or racist.

However, dispite her serious reporting, her compassion and fabulous column at The Plain Deer, Cleveland, Ohio. I have a feeling that she will be most famous for being the 90 year old who wrote Life's Lessons. Just as well she seems to be blessed with sense of humour about it, after all there she is this wonderful,`serious, Pulitzer Prize nominee, most famous for being a 90 year old.

Delving in a bit deeper I found this Article by Regina with the list of Life's Lessons, which led me on to this Article which gives those of us interested an update.

LIFE'S LESSONS

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 rolls over to 50 this week, so here's an update:

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. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

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. It's 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. It's 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. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.

17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.

18. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.

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 an 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. Overprepare, 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 except 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. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

36. Growing old beats the alternative - dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.

38. Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.

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. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

42. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

43. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

44. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

45. The best is yet to come.

46. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

48. If you don't ask, you don't get.

49. Yield.

50. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.