Trish & Lissa Rankin
Today is my Pink Mommy’s 64 th birthday (wish her Happy Birthday, Pinkies!) I hate that I’m not with her today- she lives in Ohio, and I’m in California, but I sent her a Pink present she should open soon, so she knows I’m with her in spirit. Mom wrote this post for Owning Pink to share with all of you some life lesson’s she has learned over the years. Give her 3 Pink Cheers (Rah! Rah! Rah!)
Today, I turn 64 years young (although yesterday my friend told me she thought I was at least ten years younger. It made my decade!). I’ve been thinking about the lessons I’ve learned from my longevity. Here’s the list I came up with. I encourage you Pinkies out there, young or old, to do the same. It’s such a Mojo-boost to realize just how rich with lessons life is.
1. Buy a house on Gratitude Street. Be grateful for what you have. Don’t bother wishing for what your neighbor has, or for the Extreme Makeover home on TV. By giving thanks for what you already own, you’ll save time, tons of money and your sanity. Learning to love what is allows joy into our lives.
2. Live purely in thoughts, words and deeds. When did being catty, snide or angry ever get you anywhere you wanted to go? It is through giving that we find true happiness.
3. Keep your home, car and environment clean. Clutter causes chaos of the soul. Creating a neat environment allows the mind to expand. Plus, cleaning is good exercise!
4. Make friends with regret. Worry and regret eat at our core, leaving us hollow and miserable. Simply put: Live with it, embrace it, then move on! Let go and surrender your regrets to God.
5. Reconcile your losses. Forgive yourself and others. This is a key to finding satisfaction in life.
6. Don’t sweat the small stuff. And don’t forget – everything is small stuff when you look at it with fresh eyes.
7. Accept yourself and others as they are. Be accepting of differences – especially when it comes to age, religion, and politics. We all have the right to believe as we wish. Agree to disagree, be respectful, and leave as friends.
8. Make as many new good memories as possible - they will erase the old bad ones. Celebrate life! Honor birthdays and anniversaries (even ones that seem insignificant). Go to festivals, fairs and fellowships! Kick up your heels and enjoy life.
9. Take exceedingly good care of your family. And remember, your family isn’t limited to your children, spouse, siblings, parents … it can be as big as you choose to make it. Prioritize people, not things. Tell them constantly how wonderful they are.
10. Eat well. In my old school was a sign that read, “You are what you eat!” I firmly believe that. Eat naturally strong-colored foods – especially green ones. They will nourish your physical body. Also, drink lots of water. We are made up of 70% water so re-supply yourself. (I don’t do this enough. Lissa is always on me for this!)
11. Keep learning. Read nonfiction books, take classes, learn a new craft, play games, try new recipes. Learn, learn, learn! The old “use it or lose it” cliché definitely applies to the mind as you age. Keep things fresh and stay inspired.
12. Take time to smell the roses. I don’t need to elaborate on this one. You know the rest.
13. Reflect on your day. Learn from your mistakes. Greet God in the morning and thank Him at night. It will give you a better night’s sleep and help you live in gratitude.
What has your life taught you, Pinkies? Whether you’ve lived two decades or nine, what valuable lessons have you learned through plunders, stumbles, mistakes, and doing the right thing? What do you do that brings meaning to your life?
“Whoever walks in integrity, walks securely.” (Proverbs 10:9)
Yours in ageless Pink wisdom,
Trish
Tags: accept yourself, acceptance, birthday, body, clean, cleanliness, don't sweat the small stuff, eat well, family, fun, God, grateful, gratitude, inspiration, learn, learning, life lessons, live, loss, Love, memories, mojo, motherhood, motivation, nutrition, regret, smell the roses, wisdom
Happy B-day Trish > Rah!RAh!RAH! A list of 13 you say? Well,why not – I like the number 13! Have a Rich Day!
Dearest Trish – thank you for your incredible wisdom, honesty, and generosity in sharing this. Sending you birthday blessings and love! xo
First, happy birthday to you! I wish you much health, happiness and peace not only today, but every day! Thank you for sharing the lessons you’ve learned–we all benefit by them.
Yes, life teaches us lessons if we’re willing to learn. Being an eternal student makes the journey rich, interesting and challenging.
Years back, I wrote a poem called ‘Book of Life’. I post it here to celebrate your birthday.
Book of Life
This story still evolving
My life, a book of many chapters
You read of doubts, joys and sorrows
Adventures, travels and stories
Are described in the pages of this book
Some pages show my falls and errors
Other pages point to my rises and features
Along the way I’ve learned the hard way
The price I’ve paid has cost me and others
My falls hurting those around me
I stand, I have tumbled; the walk I continue
A path of slow growth
But learning for life is a book that teaches
If you are willing
I don’t know all the answers or know all the lessons
I’ve sought and seek counsel
The teacher knows more than me
I’m still learning life’s lessons
I move on in this journey
The book of life I’m still reading.
Mom- I LOVE what you wrote. You are a wise YOUNG woman! Happy birthday.
And Marisa, what a gorgeous poem. Thank you so much for sharing.
I have been without internet for over a week. So first thank you for the wonderful birthday wishes. I love your poem Marisa, and thanks for sharing it. the lessons I’ve learned have not always come easy but the most important lesson I have learned I didn’t share. It is, “What do you want?”. Write it down, post it somewhere. THen when you are in conflict, ask yourself, ” What do you want?” Do you want to be right or to maintain the relationship. Agree to disagree, swallow your pride, nod and say, “Okay, whatever. Then move on and support the relationship instead of pushing your need to be right and get your way. You will win in the end by beautiful strong loving relationships. Love to all, Trish
PS. Rejuvenating myself at my cabin on the river!!