Things I’ve Learned in Thirty Years of Life

Happy Birthday to me! As always, this means a relatively self-absorbed post (aren’t they all,) hehe, but here goes…

Over 30 years its taken me awhile to learn a few things, but these are the ones which have really held true for me…hope they help you on your path. These are probably in some lame self-help book somewheres, but this is me speaking to all of you from my heart, so if I’m at risk of somehow channelling a book I’ve never read or seen into this post, I apologize in advance. 😉

1. Love is the most important thing in the world. Its worth more than any material possession, and it will last you through several lifetimes, so show the people you love that you love them as often as you can. Give your mom a kiss (she won’t be here forever,) try to make your dad proud, listen to your grandparents when they talk – that’s your history and you should know it, – let your friends know you will always be there for them and how special they are to you, thank your siblings for both kicking your butt and being your co-conspirators in childhood, tell your children that they are the best gift God ever gave you, and hold your partner tight and thank them for being there to enjoy this life with you. If you do this, you won’t regret not showing these people how much you love them when they are gone.

2. Enjoy the little things. They are the tiny happinesses that keep you going.

3. Truly listen to everyone…every single being on this planet has something to say or show you that will be of value to you in the future.

4. Learn from your pets. They know that getting your head scratched, being held, being happy at the sight of someone you love EVERY TIME you see them, and finding a nice warm spot to sleep in is wonderful…therefore they are very wise beings. However, do not learn your toilet training from them. 😉

5. Learn from your mistakes. If you don’t, you will probably repeat them…several times. 😉

6. Just let it go (this one has been a hard one for me.) Its not worth getting completely bent out of shape over most things, so just let it go and put it behind you.

7. Help everyone you can in the hopes that they would do the same for you, but without expectation of the favor being returned.

8. Don’t count your blessings, just know that you are truly blessed. Not every lifetime is easy, but its filled with friends and loved ones, and all sorts of wild events no matter who you are. Treasure what you have and stop wasting your time focusing on what you don’t have.

9. Slide into your grave with a cigarette and candy bar in one hand, and a glass of wine in the other, body fully used up, crying “Wheeee! That was fun!” If you spend your whole life worrying about what will kill you, you still end up dead… and because we all have to die – so you might as well truly live before then. 😉

10. Do your best to make at least one someone in your life happy every day, even if that someone has 4 legs instead of just 2.

It didn’t take me 30 years to learn all of it, but it took awhile with a few of these.

I also wanted to dedicate this post to my mom and dad, without whom I could not have been made, and certainly, without whose teachings, I’d not be the person I am today. Thank you for making me the smart ass with a good heart. 😉 I only hope I can be half the parent each of you has been to me when I have my own children, and thanks for all of the unconditional love you give me no matter what I do – even when you had to remind yourself that you loved me, and that was the only reason you didn’t pitch me off the nearest cliff. 🙂

Okay, now where’s my bottle of Stolichnaya, – its time to PART-AY!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!! Because 3 decades of Cat mean this party is about 1/3 over – ouch!

~Cat