I didn’t grow this old without getting a few scars. Lovely stories, some of them, stuff to entertain your friends with.
But I have also noticed that I managed to learn a few lessons, stuff I believe in, stuff that keeps me standing up during the storms. I have also noticed how I didn’t learn them at once. I became aware of them (but didn’t understand the lesson, or that there even was a lesson), then I observed the principle (and maybe I could formulate the essence), and finally I now obsess about them (because they work, they shape my life). Children learn by trial and error, and so did I. The more I learn the lessons and stand by them, uphold them, the more I grow as a person.
I would like to share some of my most obvious Life Pillars with you:
1. Karma. In Afrikaans (my home language) we say “Wat jy saai sal jy maai” or in English “Do unto others ..” and I’m sure the same lesson appears in other languages too. The principle is: If I do bad to you, the exact same bad will be done to me. If you are nasty during fights / divorce / disagreements, start waiting … My number one question nowadays is: “How would I like it if somebody did this to me”, because they will. Karma is a bitch [click here].
2. Love Yourself. I’m still struggling with this one, and wrote about it previously [click here]. But it is true – people like you for what you are, not what you pretend to be. They actually think you are ok, and they frown when you pretend to be something you are not. Embrace yourself, you are ok.
3. You will never understand the love of your dog. Blackjacks [click here] was placed in my life to teach me some valuable lessons, I’m sure, but I cannot say that I understand his dedication and commitment to the job. I stay away all day, and he waits for me at the gate until after dark. When I’m grumpy he blinks one eye at me. When I feed him rubbish he eats it as if it is his last meal. I don’t get it. But I’m observing, and learning.
4. Read the road signs. While we look out the window as we travel through life [click here], take time to check for signs. In His great wisdom he is always giving us heads-up on important decisions. It is up to us to read the signs and decide if we want to observe them.
