Advice from my 80-year-old self.
About once a year, I try to evaluate my life direction. The usual advice is to write your obituary. What do you want people to say about you when you are gone? What do you want people to remember about you? It’s a nice thought, but it doesn’t help me much with planning my life out today.
I’ve had a good chance to get acquainted with my 80-year old self. She doesn’t know anything that I don’t know today, but she has the courage–in the winter of life–to tell my spring time self to act now. She knows the pain of things left undone, and only I can ease that pain for her.
She’s the one who told me to write often and write passionately. Today she told me not to waste my life on clutter. There’s not enough time to devote it to things that I don’t really love.
What does your 80-year-old self have to say to you? Stop and listen to the wisdom within your own heart.
Tags: Inspiration, Pampering, Personal Development, personal reflections
February 7th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
My ol’ man can’t even think of tomorrow, and he thinks he has led a good life with no regrets. There are people who just can’t reflect on their lives until it’s too late.
February 8th, 2008 at 6:16 am
When dealing with things that upset her or were difficult things in life, my mom would always say “Is this going to matter in ten years?” If the answer is no, don’t stress about it! If the answer is yes, then deal with it in that context! It’s a philosophy that has served me well when I’ve employed it.
In other news, you’ve been tagged!
February 8th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
What a great thought!! I’ll have to call my 80 year old self and have a nice long talk with her and see how she’s doing. Thanks.
February 10th, 2008 at 2:01 am
Thanks so much for participating in The Seventh Day blog carnival On the Horizon! This post is a wonderful contribution to this week’s carnival. My mother used to ask the same question as BunGirl’s. She also asked frequently whether something was worth “getting a bee in your bonnet over.”
I hope that you will stop by and check out the other great submissions this week — and participate again in the future.
Blessings,
Hopeful Spirit
On the Horizon
February 10th, 2008 at 2:13 am
[...] shares Advice from my 80-year-old self from Dandelions and Daydreams. She urges readers to “take some time to get to know your older [...]
February 10th, 2008 at 3:06 am
This is a wonderful exercise. I suppose it teaches us to stand back and think about the long-range value of our words and actions, too.
Thanks for sharing this. I’m here via The Seventh Day.
February 12th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
@ Michael–Likely he has regrets, but he is too proud and stubborn to admit it. There are people who can just forget the past and move one. There may be something healthy about that, rather than hanging on..and on..and on.
@bungirl–I use that same method to deal with daily irritations. I usually ask “will it matter in 100 years.” In 10 years or 100 years, the only thing that will likely matter are the relationships that you build (including how how raise up your children). And it probably matters more that you didn’t get upset over spilled milk or a broken cup than the fact that the milk got spilled or the cup broken. I would rather have a good marriage than a whole set of unbroken cups (likewise, children with character–when I have kids).
@Sandy–the saying is, if you aim at nothing, you will hit it everytime. It is good to step back from the “now” and look at both “tomorrow” and what “now” will look like “tomorrow”