‘To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me.

• 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 todisagree.

• 7. Cry with someone. It’s more healing than cryingalone.

• 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 noidea what their journeyis all about.

• 14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’tbe in it.

• 15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. Butdon’t worry; Godnever blinks.

• 16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busyliving, or get busydying.

• 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 isup to you and no one else.

• 20. When it comes to going after what you love in life,don’t take no for ananswer.

• 21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancylingerie. Don’tsave 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 wearpurple.

• 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 yourbusiness.

• 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 ofanything you did ordidn’t do.

• 35. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make youstronger.

• 36. Growing old beats the alternative — dying young.

• 37. Your children get only one childhood. Make itmemorable.

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

• 39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waitingeverywhere.

• 40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyoneelse’s, we’dgrab ours back.

• 41. Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of itnow.

• 42. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful orjoyful.

• 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 agift.

Lessons in Life By Regina Brett