53 to 17

“Wisdom is with age the aged and understanding in length of days.” Job 12:12

At 53 years old, I wish I could tell my 17-year-old self the following:

• God is a good God. You don’t have to strive to win His approval; you just need to be in relationship with Him, because He loves you.
• Enjoy the college cafeteria, because after figuring out what to cook for more than 11,000 dinners, the decision about what you want for dinner is not so glamorous.
• There will be good times and challenging times, but remember, each season is just a season.
• Wear sunscreen and reapply it often.
• Stop buying so much stuff! Eventually most of it ends up being donated, at your yard sale, or, even worse, in the landfill!
• There is no book that tells you what to expect during menopause, but I hope that by the time your daughter reaches this stage, a book will have finally been published; written, of course, by a woman.
• Relationships matter, so spend more time cultivating them.
• Choose where you spend your time carefully: outdoors, being creative, and giving back to your community.
• Remember the three R’s: read, read more, and read more often.
• No relationship is ever meant to be your all: not your spouse, your children, and not your friends. Only God is meant to fulfill you.
• Marriage can be hard, but it also can be a lot of fun. Make sure you laugh often, chill together, forgive continuously, and have adventures.
• Celebrate the big moments and the small victories.
• Life is extraordinarily ordinary and that is okay.
• Sleep for 7 to 9 hours; the rest is good for both your mental and physical health.
• Some of the movies, fashion choices, and music you loved at 17 didn’t stand the test of time –who cares, look at those memories as good, (Yes, I had pictures of Knight Rider David Hasselhoff on my wall along with Tom Wopat form Dukes of Hazard, and Andrew Macarthy from Pretty in Pink)
• Fruit is nature’s candy when it is in season. Buy it then and indulge it.
• Lots of people including yourself will have negative opinions about your body, stop listening to those voices, Express kindness to your body.
• Kindness costs nothing, be generous with it and express it to everyone.