25 Lessons I've Learned On This Road Called Life

Life is a fickle journey we take.  It is filled with hopes and fears, joys and disappointments.  It can be difficult and it can be filled with tragedy, but despite its occasional darkness, for the most part as a human race we find a way to overcome and live for rainbows between the storms.  Life is full of lessons - lessons we all learn along the way.  For me, some of those lessons came easily, some came with bumps and bruises.  All of them worth reminding myself of from time to time.  Here are some of mine:

1. We have a lot more in our lives than we take time to be thankful for.
2. While we're busy being anxious for whatever comes next, precious moments of today are lost.
3. We often waste time and energy on people and things that don't matter instead of treasuring those that do.
4. Spilled drinks, cracker crumbs and play doh in the carpet might not really be the end of the world.
5. There is little more exciting than the look of excitement in your grandchild's eyes.
6. No matter how huge, how insurmountable, how hopeless something seems in the darkness of the night, it will be smaller, and less hopeless with the morning light.
7. The people we love - our parents, our grandparents, our spouse, our children, our friends - don't live forever.  We need to remember that and act accordingly.
8. Our elders know more than we do.  They may not know how to operate an IPad, Windows 10 or a smart phone, but when it comes to things that matter.....they know.  Ask them and trust them.
9. Nothing in life is forever - nothing.
10. If you are willing to invest in it, work hard for it, and believe in it, you can probably achieve it.
11. It is easier to do the right thing in the first place than to have to do it again later.
12. It's better to walk away from gossip than to participate in it.
13. It's always better to control your temper and your words in the first place than it is to have to apologize for them later.  
14. People may forgive, but they never forget.
15. When you're wrong, admitting it is the right thing to do.
16. Smiling is free and makes everyone feel better.
17. There is nothing better to invest in than your children, but money invested will never hold as much value as your time.
18. While it's important to make a living, it's more important to make a life.  These are the days you'll remember when all you're able to do is sit and remember.   Make this a life worth remembering.
19. It's a lot easier to correct bad behavior in your children when they're little than it is to try to change bad behavior in teens or young adults.  Some people never outgrow the terrible 2's.
20. No example shown to a child is more powerful than the ones his/her own parents show them. 
21. When it seems like the world is against you, like things can't get any worse, and you want to give up.......remember there is someone out there whose situation is even worse than your own. Be grateful.
22. One day you'll look back on today and wonder why today's problem seemed so big and caused so much stress.
23. One day you won't even remember today's problem - or joy.  So savor both now and remember that there's some reason for both, you just don't understand it now.
24. We can't pick our relatives, our co-workers, our bosses, our childrens' spouses, nor can we change them.  In every case it's just best that we find the good in them and embrace it.  
25. No one is perfect, beginning with ourselves.  Life isn't perfect.  Expecting perfection is a fool-proof road to disappointment.  Perfection isn't all it's cracked up to be anyway.

Life is bigger and harder than we could ever imagine.  At times it will disappoint us, beat us up and challenge our stamina, our joy, our will and our faith.  That is when we are called upon to remember that there is someone out there bigger than us and our problems.  It is during those times that we are called upon to let go and let God.  And when once again He sees us through, it is up to us to be thankful.  Always be thankful!

We can't always see where the road will take us, but have faith and enjoy the ride!  What life lessons have you learned along the way?

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