It’s hard to admit that I have reached my middle of my life journey (yes, I am expecting to live to 110 based on projected life expectancy for a Canadian male in my city). I would like to share some things (in random order of significance) I have learned from past 55 years on earth.
1.
Life is hard in every step of the way but you can only triumph by keeping trying.
My first step to walk was not easy and I am pretty sure I fell and cried numerous times but ultimately it affords me later on to move around with ease and travel to faraway places to expand my horizon. First of all, I have to admit life itself has always been hard that in early days one got hurt or even killed in hunting, injured by farming trackers as a peasant, suffer carpel tunnel pain by keyboard typing as a pink collar computer programmer, and even million dollar earning of high rolling stock trader dying prematurely from heart attack or jumping from high rise due to stress. Life is a bitch; but persons who meet challenge of life every step of the way get most out of life.
2.
Accept that other people do not think and behave as you do.
I cannot control others to make people to think and behave the way I do even though I always wish they did. I really need to remind myself to appreciate and accept the differences and uniqueness of others. People’s perspective is colored by their physical abilities (genetics), family upbringing, life experiences, ideologies, and much more. My version of truth may not resonate with people from a different background than me. This saves much of my grief. From time to time, Reinhold Neibuhr’s Serenity Prayer comes in handy: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”.
3.
Your own personal narrative about yourself determines who you are.
As I cannot change how others behave, I can only control my reaction to it. Someone has said that life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it. It’s so true. I have a choice to respond any action with positive way or negative way.
4.
Take care of yourself first and only then you can take care of others.
From my first aid training I have learned that you cannot perform your duty properly until the danger that caused the casualty has cleared. There is no point if you succumb to the danger and unable to rescue someone else. Another example would be that it makes better sense for a non-swimmer stays on shore to call for help with someone is drowning instead jumping into torrent river to get both killed. It’s full hardy to this kind of heroic sacrifice.
5.
Carpe diem. Life is short and we should enjoy it to the fullest.
Don’t take life too seriously to sweat over small stuff. As long as you have done the best to your ability, you shouldn’t be too hard on yourself. In reality, a bottle just cannot be filled to the brim without spilling; with only tiny empty space left, there are always someone to point out the emptiness, if you know what I mean. Hope you are not one of them!
Stay tuned …
