Musings

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I recently read an archive blog post from my friend over at C’est Christine about a college professor she had and his memorable quotes.  The quotes really resonated with me and I loved her thoughts on each. So, with her permission, I stole the quotes from her site and pondered them from a different perspective (she’s in her 20’s and I’m 55)….

deep breath

I joyfully accept the choices other people make.
You only have control over yourself…unless your a parent and then hopefully you have some influence while they’re young (maybe not control?) over the choices your children make.  Let’s hope your behavior and modeling rubs off on them a bit? This quote totally reminds me to revisit a certain part of the serenity prayer…”accept the things you cannot change.”  I cannot let the choices of others dictate my mood or actions.  It’s so easy sometimes to get caught up in other people’s bullshit and drama…….and on the flip side, you can also truly enjoy and be part of the choices that other people make….either way, when you make a habit of going over this mantra in your head it’s pretty easy to come back to yourself and realize that other people’s actions and choices are not in your control…nor should they be.  Sure, you can make suggestions and be of guidance to someone, but ultimately their life and choices are their own.

iris 2
She’s 94!…I rest my case!

Stop putting age limits on things.
Julia Child collaborated on her first book, “The Art of French cooking” when she was 46.  It was published when she was 49.  Hopefully, you’re going to be 80 or 90 some day so do that one thing you’ve been putting off and meaning to do. Take that risk. Fail…and fail again…but just do it.  There’s a Chinese proverb that says “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”  Okay, they’re clichés, but “you’re only as young as you feel” & “time waits for no one.”  In my mind I’m in my 20’s and there’s still a whole lot of living to do!

cross country fall
would have done this all over again…a great laugh and experience!

Collect experiences, not possessions. Possessions possess you.
I’m like a broken record when it comes to this one. I would say if you ask my kids about their childhood, they’d remember the road trips to Mammoth and the river, the parties in the neighborhood with all the kids, the things we did as a family.  I don’t think they’d even remember most of the birthday gifts they received…although there may have been a few special ones?  When you think back on your life I can almost guarantee that you’ll remember the experiences, not the stuff.  I know, it’s easy to say from where I sit in my comfortable house, but it’s not the house that I cherish, it’s the home and memories that have been made here….just as I cherish the moments I had in my 200 square foot apartment last year.  If you want some proof, read An Invisible Thread by Laura Schroff.  I read the book and was privileged to see & hear her speak yesterday.  Her book is proof that it’s the experiences and memories you create that count.

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Embrace this moment because it’s probably the last time in your life you have no idea where you’ll be next year.
Whoa, ain’t that the truth!  Your life can change in an instant…for better and/or worse…so try to live in the moment and enjoy the day, month and year you’ve been given.  You won’t regret a day well lived…and you won’t get today back….don’t sweat the small stuff…and most of it is small stuff.  I’m a planner and I love having something to look forward to, so living in the moment is a challenge for me sometimes, but I try to remind myself often that I won’t get this day or experience back, so best to enjoy it now.

Wow…in re-reading and editing this post it’s just one big cliché (predictable and unimaginative according to wikipedia)…and I’m okay with that. My mom used clichés often and I like to think of them as just another form of daily affirmations.  I don’t think it hurts, right?

You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!

6 Comments

  1. It’s all awesome! After all, cliche’s wouldn’t be cliche’s if they didn’t hold truth! Thanks for sharing…again. 🙂

    1. Thanks for the guidance on this one! It’s so interesting for me to see our different perspectives…different, yes, but in some ways so similar in our outlook.

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