Lessons Learned: John's List for Living

 We welcome contributions of life lessons to the Legacy Project site. This wonderful list of lessons learned was sent to us by John, age 76.

There are no definitive answers to any of life’s questions, but quality joy-in-life can be had in the pursuit of those answers.

Loyalty to one’s own personal beliefs and respect for others’ is the path to a serene life.

Family, country (maybe God if you are religious) need to be honored if one is to survive in an intolerant, unjust world.

Little things do matter and must be tended to so they don’t pile up to become complex things and more difficult to cope with.

Health and marriage must be treated in the same way…daily maintenance with occasional spoons full of sugar to make bad times go down.

You should listen more than speak, which is hard for us to do, so that takes practice.

You should find work that you will be content with because 40 years is a long time doing the same thing.

Heed the advice of your elders. They may not have all the answers, but they have had much more experience than you.

Experience can be a cruel teacher; learn from it.

Being cautiously pessimistic about life will make the sporadic good things that actually do happen seem even better.

You should not fret very long; all things pass. One way or another they will no longer be experienced.

Whether or not you believe in heaven and hell (religion) should not prevent you from being a nice person.

Injustice exists. Get used to it.

One thought on “Lessons Learned: John's List for Living

  1. i could add a few of my own:

    1. you can’t find sincere friends today so what to say of justice.

    2. life is a series of moments where you have to suck the nectar from each one as if it was the food of the gods.

    3. try your luck, maybe you’ll win.

    4. every food has to be eaten in its own way…that is the only diet rule.

    5. exercise is not only a physical thing…it can be psychological or spiritual or even emotional.

    6. love is the only real need besides food, clothing and shelter. it truly satisfies.

    7. the internet is a tool and not an end in itself.

    8. personality change takes the longest time yet it is worth it.

    9. don’t take flying arrows up your butt. its not worth it.

    10. death is just a truth that you face one day. it may be an ugly truth but at least it is real unlike life which is a lie that gets caught one day.

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