Saturday, September 6, 2008

Life Lessons of a Forty-Niner

Magazine Cover, Unknown

Today I start my 60th year. I'm a 1949-er, born in the first half of the last century...how old does that sound?? Having just spent some time with a newborn baby, I realize I've acquired awesome skills, knowledge and wisdom over these many years. I wouldn't want to start over!

Think about what you've learned in life while I count the blessings of being 59.

I can:
  1. Feel a sense of peace
  2. Identify hundreds of individual voices
  3. Crawl (that takes coordination!), roll, balance and walk
  4. Distinguish colors and hues (think of all the shades of green in the woods)
  5. Follow a sound to it's source
  6. Identify emotions in other people
  7. Differentiate numbers, letters, symbols
  8. Know when something is upside down
  9. Perceive danger
  10. Appreciate lovely scents
  11. Feel the mood of the crowd
  12. Anticipate cold
  13. Steel myself for pain
  14. Wait for food
  15. Smell fire
  16. Read
  17. Entertain myself with my thoughts
  18. Plan ahead to accomplish tasks
  19. Organize my surroundings
  20. Drive to a new address
  21. Feed myself without getting it in my hair
  22. Clean up a kitchen quickly
  23. Follow directions
  24. Wait without having a tantrum
  25. Sense a need for quiet
  26. Make unpleasant phone calls
  27. Talk to strangers
  28. Create a pleasant atmosphere
  29. Face a crisis
  30. Eat something that looks yukky
  31. Smile when I've been insulted
  32. Hold my head up when I'm embarrassed
  33. Tackle a job I don't know how to do
  34. Look calm when my knees are shaking
  35. Pretend I'm having a good time
  36. Say no to someone asking for a favor
  37. Turn on the computer
  38. Understand why old people rant about changes in the world
  39. Remember why young people think they invented the world
  40. Recall the poetic lyrics to classic songs
  41. Watch black and white movies without whining
  42. Wait out a bad mood
  43. Accept a compliment
  44. Expect respect
  45. Laugh at irreverence
  46. Put financial problems in perspective
  47. Love others with no expectations
  48. Let my kids make decisions
  49. Follow a football game
  50. Value another opinion
  51. Discern when a person is genuine
  52. Choose which traditions I'll follow
  53. Trust my intuition
  54. Appreciate old friends, even if I never see them
  55. Pray with total faith that I'm heard
  56. Accept that I'm not always right
  57. Not try to top everyone's story
  58. Tell the difference between Coke, Diet Coke and Pepsi
  59. Cry for joy
Knowing how to do something is an accomplishment. Doing it at the right time is a different thing. For that I'll need a few more birthdays!

Make a list of the things you've learned in life. Then cheer yourself on.

Go Forty-niners!!


9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I learned to love and appreciate my older sister! Have a happy Birthday.

kenju said...

I can do all those except follow a football game. That sport never interested me at all, except when I was in high school and looking for a date.....LOL

GOOD list and very astute observations.

mama jo said...

i can't tell the difference between a pepsi and a coke...maybe in 8 more years! hope your day was wonderful...

Amy said...

Happy Birthday, Mom! If ever you forget how to feed yourself without getting it in your hair, I'll take care of you. Love you!

Christie said...

We're glad Amy will take care of you. I'm not sure I want to see you not able to feed yourself without getting it in your hair.

Happy birthday, Oma!

Holly (2 Kids and Tired) said...

Happy Birthday. Awesome list!

gramakas said...

Amen!!! I'm with you on this one!!!

Jenibelle said...

I can tell the difference but I never thought to be grateful for it. Puts perspective on an attitude of gratitude, be thankful for every little thing.

Love, love your list. Thought provoking.

Sheri said...

Marty--I just entered my 60th year also. 9-9-49. It was a good year and September is the best month to be born! Some of the finest people I know were born in September--including YOU!