A popular theme on the social media these days is "things we want to tell _____"
25 Things I want to Teach my daughter
20 Things I want to teach new Moms.
15 Things Dad should do for their Sons.
and so on.
I see many of them talking to younger selves, and to growing children, trying to avoid the trials and tribulations that self doubt and caring to much about what other have to say, can bring to one's life. By this I assume that most people think that if you are old enough to dispense life altering, and mostly ignored wisdom, you are to far down the path to make a difference.
Something rings false about that for me. As I watch two of my most favorite people making huge changes in their lives I think, it can't be too late. Why aren't we talking to ourselves now? Why do we always direct our well meaning advise to others?
When a cabin depressurizes and the oxygen masks pop down, you are not supposed to help others first, you are supposed to put your own on, ensure you are not going to pass out before you can help others. I feel like there's a life lesson in there about the present, about the now and about how we are not to far gone to find and hang on to happiness.
And I think it can be shortened to only a few things, I don't need 25 or 20 or some pleasing round number to get the point across.
1. Try to be kind to people
2. When you fail at this, apologize
3. Tell people nice things about themselves.
4. Accept compliments.
5. Sometimes life is gonna suck, its life, move on.
