As one of the many black men who was raised in part by his grandmother, I got to thinking about her last night and this morning, and recalled some of the lessons she passed on to me. I found this list that really resonated with me, and I think these 43 lessons were imparted to all of us (African Americans, at least) by our grandmothers. This list was written By Regina Brett (90 years old) of The Plain Dealer in Cleveland, Ohio.
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. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone.
8. It’s OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first pay check.
10. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.
11. It’s OK to let your children see you cry.
12. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
13. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don’t worry; God
never blinks.
14. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
15. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
16. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.
17. It’s never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
18. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.
19. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t
save it for a special occasion, Today is special.
20. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
21. Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.
22. The most important sex organ is the brain.
23. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
24. Frame every so-called disaster with these words ‘In five years, will this
matter?’
25. Always choose life.
26. Forgive everyone and everything.
27. What other people think of you is none of your business.
28. Time heals almost everything. Give it time.
29. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
30. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
31. Believe in miracles.
32. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn’t do.
33. Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
34. Growing old beats the alternative — dying young.
35. Your children get only one childhood.
36. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
37. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
38. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.
39. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
40. The best is yet to come.
41. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
42. Yield.
43. Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift.
What do you think? What would you add to the list that your grandmother passed on to you?
Popularity: 28% [?]
I would only add one!
The great thing about any day whether it be good or bad is that it will come to an end!
I feel that. BTW, I listen to your podcasts in my car now more than I listen to the radio. You definitely got a loyal listenership!
Thanks Man I’m actually humbled by it. I just wanted people to hear more than they could see when it comes to me emphasizing things. Hope you enjoy the background music!
As I read this list, I couldn’t help but chuckle at number 20 (Over prepare, then go with the flow) and number 38 (If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back)just on how true it rings. Once again, phenomenal content Arthur!
Thanks, always appreciate a comment from a pro! I especially like the one about grabbing our problems back. In the Marines, we have a saying that goes “Dont let the green grass fool you”, meaning other peoples lawns may look greener than yours, but they have the same problems as you do!
I would add:
44. KNOW YOUR OWN SELF-WORTH.
45. LOVE DOES CONQUER ALL!
Freedom´s last blog ..Ladies Break Through: Share Your Life Lessons & Experiences With Other Women
Sounds like a very smart woman. Definitely something to print out and save.
TrueMan´s last blog ..“This Is It” – Lessons From “The Gloved One”
interesting one
Lol, why thank you. What brings you by, and what do you think about the rest of the content?
Great list! Very wise woman! I learned what my grandmother taught via my mother and father. I hope to pass that down to my children and grandchildern.