60 Things I’ve Learned in 60 Some Years

On the eve of another birthday I find myself pondering what the last 60 something years have taught me. One thing is certain─I’ve learned a lot─and have a lot to learn. I have so much to be grateful for. With that in mind I’ve written 60 things I ‘ve learned in 60 some years.

You. Are. Not. A. Mistake. You are one of a beautiful kind. Believe in your infinite worth.

A life worth living is one lived loving relentlessly─with arms wide open.

You can be beautifully broken and extravagantly loved at the same time.

Embrace change and refuse to stay the same.

Make shame resilience a forever practice.

Be unashamed of your scars and wear them proudly.

Some scars are meant to be shared, and others are sacred and silent.

Vulnerability is a super power.

Forgive yourself for not knowing what you didn’t know.

Count your blessings with great fortitude.

Family isn’t always bound by blood.

Forgiving isn’t forgetting.

The purest gold is refined by fire.

It takes raw courage to be authentic in a world full of conformity.

Love and loss are costly─love big.

Tomorrow is never guaranteed─live life with passion today.

Don’t wait for tomorrow─run hard after your dreams now.

Simplicity is beautiful.

It’s okay to not be okay.

Be brave. Live your faith out loud.

The best years of your life are wrapped in sleepless nights and the fragrance and warmth of your newborn babes.

You’ll think you know what love is until your newborn child fills your arms and snuggles deeply into your heart.

A mother’s heart will forever be bound to her child─in heaven and on earth.

The sweetest words you’ll ever hear are “mom” and “grandma.”

Your children are on loan to you for a brief window of time─love them well.

Grandchildren have a beautiful way of unearthing the most precious gold in life.

Giving birth is painful and beautiful. Raising children is painful and beautiful. Releasing them to adult is painful and beautiful.

There is no “one size fits all” in parenting. Do yourself a big favor and turn a deaf ear to all the “how to” experts until they’ve lived a day in your shoes. Grace for the journey goes a long ways.

You will make every mistake in the book. Humans are messy─love wins.

There is nothing more beautiful then watching your child parent.

Marring someone who makes you laugh is a plus.

Love is messy & beautiful & ugly & everything inbetween.

Be prepared to do the hard stuff if you want to stay married for the long-haul.

Agree to disagree.

Being married to your bestfriend is a gift.

Solid relationships are not for the faint of heart.

Hallmark movies lie.

My husband has my back & love wins.

A strong partner in life is a sacred place of security.

No-one hugs like my husband.

Loving from the center of who you are will require courage and bravery.

Authentic love is a bi-product of brokenness.

Learn to dance in wide open spaces of grace.

The chatter of a few is richer then the noise of a crowd.

Your “sit in the dirt” kind of friends are more precious then gold.

Every morning that I wake to breath in my body — is a gift from God.

A life worth living is one wrapped in a life worth giving.

You have one life to give away─refuse to retreat.

Seek the approval of One.

Loving with your heart wide open is exhilarating!

Dogs are the most loyal creatures God made.

Refuse to play it safe and do hard things

Laugh at your self and refuse to be easily offended.

Find what makes your heart smile and enjoy the simple things in life.

Enjoy a good dose of what fills your cup ~ Little Birds. Fresh Air. My tribe. The smell of my horse. My crazy dog. Warm blankets. Waterfalls. Grandchildren and more grandchildren.

People with a ‘past’ know how to love wholeheartedly.

Mistakes are rungs of a ladder that overcomers climb.

Strength is in the eyes of the beholder.

Wearing your heart on your sleeve is the way your made─be authentic.

Take heart, your story is still being written─you’ve mountains to climb and skies to soar.

“No reserves, no retreats, no regrets” William Bordon