She walked quite slowly with a cane, but always had a smile on her face, a twinkle in her eye, and loved to share her best jokes and amazing sense of humour with everyone.
As this vibrant lady looked forward to marking her 90th birthday and to celebrate growing older she offered some lessons that life has taught her along the way, and always enjoyed passing them on to other seniors and everyone else as they pursue their amazing life-time adventure.
• Life isn’t always fair, but it’s still good, and when in doubt just take the next step. However good or bad our situation may be along the way, it will always change. Time usually heals almost everything, so try to give time lots of time.
• Life is way too short to waste time hating anyone, so always try to forgive everything, but then forget those who can only succeed by hurting others. No one is in charge of your happiness but you, which we always need to share with family, especially OUR CHILDREN, because they have only one early childhood.
• Don’t compare your life to others, as we have no idea what their journey is all about. What other people think about us is none of your business.
• Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick, but your friends and family will, so stay in touch.
• Pay off your credit cards every month and save for your retirement starting with your first day.
• You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree and never be afraid to admit that you MAY have been wrong.
• Cry with someone, it’s more healing than crying alone; and always pause to take a lots of deep breathes, because it calms the mind.
• Make peace with your past so that it won’t screw up the present, and try not to take yourself so seriously, because no one else does.
• If a relationship has to be secret, you shouldn’t be in it, and when it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t ever take no for an answer.
• Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful, or joyful, because all that matters in the end is that you really loved, and true love should last forever.
• Burn the candles, use the nice sheets and wear the fancy lingerie. Be eccentric now, don’t wait for old age to wear purple, don’t be afraid to over prepare, and then let loose and go with the flow.
• Don’t audit your life. Show up and make the most of it now, always believe in miracles, and no matter how you feel, get up, dress up, show up, and always choose life, because the best is yet to come.
• Try to frame every so-called disaster with these words: ‘In five years will it matter?’ Also try to remember that envy is a waste of time and you already have all you need. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.