In less than a week I will be turning yet another year older. To say I’m grateful to see another year go by would be an understatement and reeks of a banal platitude – and we all know Herby is nothing if not original. Nevertheless, I’m stoked to be alive – especially knowing the many times I almost didn’t make it. Every year, my mom (the infamous Perl, AKA the black version of Anna Wintour) never fails to some how sneak the story that recalls the circumstances of my birth into a casual conversation. The abbreviated version: It was cold and snowing, and a simple checkup at the doctor’s offices turned into a nearly 3 month early birth.
That story always segues into my inability to walk until I was almost 3 and the exploratory surgery that would have permanently paralyzed me had my parents subjected me to it. And Perl never forgets to add in the part where “the doctors told your father and me that we’d be ‘lucky’ if you made it to 6 or 7 and that you’d probably be a vegetable… but look at God’s miracle…”
Perl and Herb never believed in luck, but rather a higher power (God); they also taught their children to believe in the same. It’s the belief in this higher power that’s kept me alive for over 3 decades. In the past 6 years alone, I have had 3 close encounters with death linked to my random allergies – so, it would be callous of me to think of the outcomes of these ordeals as anything less than divine intervention. But if I should die on or before my birthday, I wouldn’t have walked this earth without having gleaned any wisdom.
Here are just 33 examples of the lessons, facts, and whatchamajigs I’ve come to know while I’ve been on earth:
That story always segues into my inability to walk until I was almost 3 and the exploratory surgery that would have permanently paralyzed me had my parents subjected me to it. And Perl never forgets to add in the part where “the doctors told your father and me that we’d be ‘lucky’ if you made it to 6 or 7 and that you’d probably be a vegetable… but look at God’s miracle…”
Perl and Herb never believed in luck, but rather a higher power (God); they also taught their children to believe in the same. It’s the belief in this higher power that’s kept me alive for over 3 decades. In the past 6 years alone, I have had 3 close encounters with death linked to my random allergies – so, it would be callous of me to think of the outcomes of these ordeals as anything less than divine intervention. But if I should die on or before my birthday, I wouldn’t have walked this earth without having gleaned any wisdom.
Here are just 33 examples of the lessons, facts, and whatchamajigs I’ve come to know while I’ve been on earth:
The Top 33 Life Lessons, Facts, & Whatchamajigs
| 1. Trashy people are trashy people and do trashy things! Never expect of someone more than they themselves are capable of achieving. This fact alone will save you so much time… 2. Never miss out on a chance to tell some you love the words “you might need to brush your teeth…” If you really love some one, you’re obligated to tell them the truth – and that includes telling them that they stink when they stink, and that you love them when they need to hear it most. 3. Don’t hide or squelch your own fabulousness for the sake of others. This does not give you a license to be arrogant or condescending; however, your gift will make room for itself – so get out of its way and let yourself shine. 4. Do unto others as Jesus would do unto you! Yeah, I know the golden rule says to treat people the way you want to be treated, but there’s a lot of masochistic people out there who are pretty much ok with being treated like garbage. So treat people the way Jesus would treat you – with patience, kindness, love and understanding. 5. Take care of yourself! No really, you have to take good care of yourself because that’s the one thing you’ve been given for which you are entirely responsible. You cannot take care of anything at all if you yourself are empty, unfulfilled, and dying. 6. Pray often! Even if you don’t believe in the power of prayer or the existence of a higher being, still pray. Why? Prayer is a rather powerful tool in that while you pray and express the details of your situation, you actually get to hear yourself talk it out. Often times your prayers have already been answered with the grace and intuition you already have. 7. Get a Bluetooth or a hands free device in your car if you’re going to talk on the phone while driving!!!! (And that should almost be the 11th commandment right there…) 8. Don’t take people for granted! 9. The loss of life is not the loss of relationship. Even in death, the people we miss and mourn still play a huge part in our lives. Realize the part they played in your life while living and allow what you learned from them to live on through you. | 10. Buy nice shoes! Make sure they’re comfortable, too, though. Nothing’s worse than looking sharp while being in immense pain… 11. Know the rules before you decide to break them. 12. Keep your business to yourself and don’t trust just anyone with something that only God should know about you… 13. God’s grace is sufficient! 14. Wear your clothes and don’t let them wear you! 15. NEVER over pay for things! There’s always a sale somewhere on something you want. Be patient and wait a month to see if your dream item goes on sale. 16. Put Mr. & Mrs. Common Sense in charge of your daily dealings. It’s rather enlightening how much can be accomplished just be using common sense. 17. Take walks as much as possible. 18. Allow yourself to be completely stupid for at least one hour a month. Don’t leave the house and expose the rest of the world to your dumbness, but relaxing and not thinking too hard on life’s issues allows you to recharge and value your own intelligence. 19. Never breakup with someone via text! It not only makes you look gauche and cowardly, it’s also downright disrespectful to the other person and devalues the time you wasted for the both of you. Be responsible and at least make a phone call if you can’t be adult enough to face someone. 20. Learn how to tie a bow tie. It comes in handy. 21. Respect other people’s time. That goes for professional, personal, and romantic relationships. 22. Travel when ever possible. Exposure to new surroundings not only broadens your outlook, it does wonders for conversations. 23. Don’t talk on your cell phone in a store or restaurant if you failed to master the art of using your “inside voice” in kindergarten. I really don’t want to hear your conversation… | 24. Understand that everything is temporary – the good, the bad, the ugly, and the painful really just last for a season. 25. Learn to know when a season has passed. 26. It’s ok to be completely selfish at times – just don’t get too comfortable and know that you will get called out on it if you keep being a prick about it… 27. Earlobes are cool. 28. Know your body and get checked out frequently by a physician. 29. Don’t gossip! It’s tacky and really doesn’t help to make matters better. 30. Learn the art of compromise and know that it does not mean you change your values – it just means you understand how to live with people who think differently than you. 31. Make time for reflection! It’s important to know what you know and assess what you’ve learned in a given period. Thanks to one of my major professors, I spend the holiday season in reflection of my accomplishments, mistakes, victories, and missed opportunities to assess where I’m going. (Thanks Dr. Jan Flynn!!!) 32. Don’t procrastinate! While it might be easier to just put of to tomorrow what you can do today, the truth of the matter is you rarely will do it later. Procrastination is the antitheist of progress and kills opportunities. 33. Be you, do you, and be unapologetic about it! Develop a personal style that reflects your brand. Live life according to how you want to be remembered – and don’t make excuses.  |
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