Ten For Starters
If I do become a grandma one day, I will probably not have a trust fund for any of my grandchildren. For starters, I will never win the lottery because I am never bothered to buy a ticket. And secondly, if I do have that much money to burn, rest assured, I will find a way to spend every nickel of it. Nonetheless, I do have some nuggets of wisdom that I would like to share with them. And I will counter their accusatory thoughts of being a cheap grandma by saying that I wish someone told me these things earlier on in my life -- as it would have made a world of difference.
Ten things I wish I learned a long time ago:
1) Weight and dress sizes are just numbers, just like age
2) When it really hurts, it's okay to cry -- even in public
3) Moisturize every night before going to bed
4) To avoid road rage, imagine that it's Grandpa driving the car in front of me
5) Never take what is not mine -- no matter how badly I want it
6) To clean up after my own mess and that it doesn't kill to say "I'm sorry"
7) Use a fountain pen to instantly make my penmanship look better
8) There is no better time than the present
9) Try first before complaining
10) Waking up early on Saturdays make the weekend seem much longer
[ 11) It might not hurt to buy a lottery ticket from time to time ]
Life isn't very complicated, really. We make it complicated because it seems a bit suspicious when it's all too simple. And besides, it's easier to make something more complicated than to make it simpler.
What about you? What will you tell your grandchildren?
Ten things I wish I learned a long time ago:
1) Weight and dress sizes are just numbers, just like age
2) When it really hurts, it's okay to cry -- even in public
3) Moisturize every night before going to bed
4) To avoid road rage, imagine that it's Grandpa driving the car in front of me
5) Never take what is not mine -- no matter how badly I want it
6) To clean up after my own mess and that it doesn't kill to say "I'm sorry"
7) Use a fountain pen to instantly make my penmanship look better
8) There is no better time than the present
9) Try first before complaining
10) Waking up early on Saturdays make the weekend seem much longer
[ 11) It might not hurt to buy a lottery ticket from time to time ]
Life isn't very complicated, really. We make it complicated because it seems a bit suspicious when it's all too simple. And besides, it's easier to make something more complicated than to make it simpler.
What about you? What will you tell your grandchildren?
posted by Princess Banter at
11:21 PM
36 Comments:
loved the grandpa driving in frotn of u bit :)
and listen to the sunscreen song!!!
These are great words of wisdom. Some which I need to follow a little more diligently.
I wont have grandchildren since neither me or my sister have reproduced. However, I still want to play:
1) don't eat too much sugar or carbs
2) don't be afraid to ask for help
3) don't be afraid to try
4) don't get married
5) don't have children until/unless you can financially, mentally take care of yourself and don't feel the need to control someone for the rest of their lives or have a child just so YOU look good or so you can make it better than when you were a child
6) travel if you can and try new foods/ talk to new people.
7) don't go to doctors if you can help it EVER
8) try to work for yourself and throw the alarm clock away
9) don't gossip
10) learn to forgive yourself
oh, one more...keep them away from church
I'll tell them to read your blog :)
I'll also tell them to pay no attention to self-taught artist's items number 4) and 7). I'm a big fan of being married PLUS I believe preventative medicine is absolutely the way to go. Which of course involves seeing the doctor once a year or so. (Could be biased here, I fully admit!)
1. Acting selflessly in the interest of someone else's well being is more rewarding than the most selfish act can be.
2. Read. Read. Read.
3. Have fun on your own terms.
4. Try things things that are unpopular or under appreciated. See what you think about them.
5. Don't be as shy as I was, don't worry as much about what people thought as I did. It's a waste of energy and being different is bankable when you're older.
6. Be patient.
7. Make sure the people who are closest to you treat you the best. If they don't, look at reshuffling your alliances.
8. Once a year or so make sure you drink too much. It'll remind you that there's a lot to be said for being sober and that sometimes cutting loose is a ton of fun too.
9. Buy a lottery ticket here and there. Hoping with wild abandon for impossible things isn't something we should learn to leave behind.
10. Listen to your heart, and listen to Princess Banter.
i like the time one and err... weight is just a number, why the hell did i diet then? :)
Slight variation on number seven. It doesn't hurt to say sorry, even if you don't mean it. It can go along way to smoothing troubled waters in an uncomplicated way.
...crap, princess banter! i still havent figured out what to tell my DAUGHTER yet! and she's 23!!
Oh well... I will make them computer savvy and will crack the whip to make them open IE and type in ur blog site and read the 10 points [:D]
Personally I don't like point (10) .. Too harsh and almost chocked me. Yea like someone said, listen to the sunscreen song. I will make them listen that as well instead of your point (10).
How ingenious? :)
I would definitely tell them this:
Don't blindly accept anything that elders say, even if it's your grandmother.
I like your list very much. It works. I would only add [for my nonexistent grandchildren]:
Live every day like you'll never see tomorrow.
2) When it really hurts, it's okay to cry -- even in public...
loved this one!
i would have just told my grandchild to believe in dreams...they do come true if you believe hard!
all wonderful points..
what would i tell them?
that its never going to get easier only harder...
always stop and really try and put yourself in another's shoes before judging
hmm that is it for now
Was talking about number one not ten minutes ago.
As to my grandchildren, I'll tell them not to listen to their parents and to try everything at least once.
Puss
hey, theres a paragraph in one of Arundhati Roys essays (the end of Imagination) that says
"to not complicate what is simple, or simplify what is complicated"
i truly subscribe to that -
and yeah, I would surely tell them the crying when hurt thing.
I would tell them to not fear being wrong (Ok being wrong is MY fundamental right) and that it is better having tried and lost than to have just sat on the sidelines commenting!
I would tell them that love actually works - love as in, love for people, and the absence of malice..
I would tell them honesty and truth always win. (whenever I have compromised, I have been a loser)
Finally, I would tell them its just this one life they have. Use it, and do some good for your country, and your society
hehe/... cry if u r hurt.. luvd that one.. i have a reason to cry now..
I agree with Jellyhead, indeedy doo. I'll send them straight here. I wish you hadn't stopped at ten, though.
I seem to be doing a lot of point number two. Oh well. As long as you've approved it.
;)
1. Never date an insecure man. They are the ones who will cheat because bloosting thier little defalted ego is more important than really hurting someone.
2. Abuse of trust is more a violation than physical abuse.
3.When someone doesn't see if from your perspective - it's because they are not interested in seeeing it from your perspective.
4. ALways wear clean knickers- for you never know.
those were really something! life is an illusion is actually a true statement unnecessarily associated with spiritualism and hence lost its charm. (atleast for me) it's all about perception,really.
I think I have still much to learn. Ah. Especially to love the present.
Hmmm..
All good ones. I don't know what I am going to tell my grandchildren but I liked the "time" one and
"Moisturize every night before going to bed".. ???
Is it so important ?
12. Most important, I only really graped this recently.
ALWAYS forgive.
NEVER forget.
I suspect I might bore any grandchildren that I might have to an early death, with talk of the "good old days"!
Especially like No. 8.
I liked your "Ten things" a lot!
I also read your previous post and found it very interesting. At times in my life, I've travelled extremes from being a Saint to a Harbinger of destruction. Now I just try to find some peace in the middle.
-P
Wow, another great post! I really liked the one on "Do not take what is not yours, even if u badly want it"... thats real wisdom.. Grandpa one and waking up early on Sats is also cool! Reminds me of a song called 'Sunscreen' by Bazlurhm.. damn good advice there too! :)
Hmmm.. and what I would tell my grandchildren?? THAT really needs some soul searching to know what I think is good enough to pass on to them!
I wonder if I'll ever have grandchildren. But there's always nieces and nephews. I couldn't agree more with (3). (7) doesn't work for me. :P. OMG. (10). To sleep more or less... sigh.
Loved the list. infact i like all ur posts..im blogrolling u
Hi princess thanks once again for visiting my blog.
I haven't worked out yet what I would tell my grandkids.(when I get some) I suspect TELLING them anything won't make much difference just spending time with them would be better.
James
I have seen my one grandchild 7 times in almost 8 years and I expect when the other kids pop them out It will pretty much be the same thing so i will just leave them all of my writing in my will and they can then read what I would have told them.
1. Don't fuck with anybody smaller than yourself but if someone really wants to fight let them have the first swing then go at them like you mean to destroy them.
2. Peace is better than war but sometimes you have to go to war to find peace.
3. Riches can not be counted in the amount of paper or coin you have but it doesn't hurt to always have some.
4. Fear nothing nor anyone, not even death.
5. To walk like a man one has to be a man.
Here are ten things I wish I learn someday:
1. Learn to hold your tongue long enough to calmly assess a situation so that you don't blow up or cause irreparable damage with words.
2. Learn to forgive yourself for all the mistakes that you have made, and will invariably make in the future.
3. Stop taking people at face value.
4. Stop over-simplifying things into black and white. There are always different shades of grey. Learn to see them and appreciate them for what they are.
5. Don't be disappointed when you don't get back what you give. Give anyway.
6. Don't go out of your way to help someone unless the person directly asks you for help. Otherwise, be prepared to be subjected to ingratitude.
7. Stop procrastinating. It never helps. It's just an excuse you give yourself to procrastinate further.
8. Learn to readily admit it when you are wrong. It can always happen. People are not perfect, and you're no exception.
9. Never disregard a good idea no matter where it comes from.
10. Appreciate all the good things while they're a part of your life ... don't wait till they're gone.
And I LOVE your ten pointers!
XD
being the lazy bum i am.. ill refer them here.. thats more wisdom than i could impart in a lifetime!!..
and i hope i realize the truth about dress sizes and weight being just numbers.. essentially i agree but there r times....
"To avoid road rage, imagine that it's Grandpa driving the car in front of me"
Makes just too much sense.. :)
And loved all the advices in the comments section too.. :D
What a fantastic post (and comments) - really good thinking points. Here are mine.
1. Trust your instincts.
2. Make sure you always have one months salary in the bank - it can help to get you out of lots of sticky situations.
3. It is only money. Share it with those who need it.
4. You have 2 ears and one mouth. Listen more than you talk.
5. People are important. Treat everyone the way you want to be treated.
6. Have a good doctor you trust.
7. Have a good hairdresser you trust.
8. Smile. And laugh.
9. Work isn't everything.
10. Ask for help if you need it.
I'd tell them "What other people think of you is none of your business".
And not important.
Great list Princess. Thanks for this.
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