Thoughts on the Eve of My Birthday

So tomorrow is my 45th birthday. I've probably lived at least half of my lifetime. Part of me still feels like a teenager (complete with the acne to show for it! UGH!) and the other part of me feels really old and tired (that part is mostly my hips). Here are some things that I have learned over the first half of my lifetime:

1. Family is everything. And I mean EVERYTHING. Not only your own family created by you and your spouse, but also your extended family. Those relationships matter, so treat them like they do.
2. If you have children, enjoy them every day. Cuddle them, read to them, talk to them, listen to them, play with them, do things with them EVERY DAY. Try to not get mad at the messes, the broken things, the fighting, the noise. One day, there will be no more messes, no more broken things, no more fighting, no more noise. You will clean your house and it will stay clean. Your things will stay where you put them. There will be no more diapers to change, no more noses to wipe, no more hands to wash. No more holes in the knees, no more shoes outgrown, no more strollers to push. No more little clothes to wash and fold and put away. There will be quiet and it will make you cry. 
3. Things are not everything. They are basically NOTHING. They are there to make life more comfortable, convenient, and easier, but they can become your master if you allow them to. If you don't believe me, refer back to #1.
4. Little things matter. Smiles, manners, compliments, little thoughtful things matter. Mostly they cost you little to nothing, but to the person receiving them they can mean so much. 
5. True friends are hard to come by, but if you find a few real friends, be grateful. Friends can help you laugh through the hard times and keep you humble through the good times. In the cookie of life, friends are the chocolate chips.
6. Don't procrastinate! Do what you need to do when it needs to be done. You save yourself so much headache and stress, and who doesn't want that?
7. Listen more than you talk. Learn to hold your tongue. Don't say everything that pops into your head. When you talk make sure you have something important to say.
8. Give yourself permission to have a bad day once in awhile. It's okay. But don't wallow in it. Pick yourself up and have a great day the next day.
9. Enjoy life. Life is mostly good. Yeah, there's some garbage in it, but it's mostly good. Look for the good, the uplifting, the joyful. 
10. Be grateful. We all have many blessings we overlook each day. Count them once in awhile to remind yourself.
11. LIVE your life. Don't just endure it. Make choices that will help you live your life fully, gratefully, joyfully.