and what I know for sure

I am at the the beginning of the rest of my life, the start of the second half of my life on this planet. I have learned a lot over the years. Some things I learned the hard way. I never seem to take the easy road. Here are the things I know for sure in no particular order.

1. People want more than anything to be relevant, heard and loved.
2. Not every thing you want is what you need.
3. People lie to protect themselves.
4. Sleep is elusive and should be respected.
5. Children are wise if you just take the time to listen.
6. When you have the opportunity to act, do so. You may not get a second chance.
7. Dogs are here to love you even when you don’t love yourself.
8. Giving someone your full attention will defuse almost any volatile situation. See #1 above.
9. You can treat someone with dignity even if you don’t like them.
10. You can survive, move forward and get what you need by respectfully standing on your belief.

For all the things I know about this life there are a million things I do not know. I want to learn them and the easy way this time. The best way is not to resist.

You know as well as I do that life is short. I will say the words, do the things, and take the risk. I will stand on the edges and look over. I will leap when I am too scared to jump. I plan to take all the opportunities I can when they are offered in front of me.

This is my life. This is all I have. I will be true to myself. I will not hide it away from the world. I will be brave. I will dare to be different and not follow the crowd. I will take better care of me since this is the only me I will ever have.

I will not experience the beauty and weirdness of life by standing on the porch. I have to get up and run after it. Life won’t bring the good stuff to me.

I will trust however I will not let others neglect me. I am worth more than that to those who love me and those are the only humans who matter.

I will not entertain negativity. I will simply walk away.

I will be confident. I can and I will finish this life leaving this place better than I found it, but before I go I will live with purpose. I will learn what I do not know.

~Lori O’Gara