30 lessons in 30 years

thirty. Don't agree to play "Hide and Seek" if you have hiccups or a growling stomach.

twenty-nine. true friends are to be wisely chosen, valiantly treasured, and held with open hands.

twenty-eight. invest in a space-heater.

twenty-seven. from out of the heart, the mouth speaks. Pay attention to a person's words and you will know the current condition of his/her/my/your heart.

twenty-six. give ear to people who think differently than you.

twenty-five. dog food tastes better than cat food. dogs taste better than cats. Go figure.

twenty-four. Courage has countless forms, and is found in the most unsuspecting places.

twenty-three. indifference, rather than hatred, is the opposite of love. It is impossible to hate or to love something that has no value or meaning to you.

twenty-two. Vegemite should NEVER be generously spread with the same bread/spread ratio as peanut butter!

twenty-one. tantrums in adults are ugly, but on occasion it can be extremely liberating to cast (oneself) to the ground before a select audience and claim to be having a crisis about any number if miniscule annoyances.

twenty. Be open to learning from anyone: especially observe children, old people, and yourself in the wake of "failure" -- irreplaceable teachers!

nineteen. Mischief is a spice of life. Weigh the consequences and proceed.

eighteen. Setting expectations is a game of flexibility, often requiring trial & error and a healthy dose of humor.

seventeen. People are more similar than they are different. Looking anyone in the eyes with love, compassion, respect, and dignity is one of the greatest gifts you can mutually give to that person and to yourself.

sixteen. grace is the lubricant of all functional relationships.

fifteen. if someone tells you to be ware of his/her nasty-mean dog... that's not code for "here's a good challenge, try to make a new friend!"

fourteen. facial hair happens. It must be dealt with.

thirteen. laughter, honesty, and time: good medicines for grief.

twelve. Not all leaves in the forest are worthy substitutes for toilet paper.

eleven. If you don't have a clue what people are talking about, it's usually better to just admit it. The exception being: wine tasting, the greater your imagination for the nature dancing across your taste buds the more sophisticated you are!

ten. Having been bitten by a Dogfish Shark, gnawed on by a White Lion cub, punctured by a wild Sulfur Crested Cockatoo, nibbled by fleas, inhabited by larvae, kicked by sheep, and snapped at by alligators-- I've decided that domesticated animals are preferred playmates.

nine. flatulence is trapped inside a burka like it is trapped under bed covers with the sheets pulled over (the guilty party's) head. (unexpected experiential learning on the streets of Kabul)

eight. Not everyone will allow you to help cook in the kitchen, but most people will accept help washing the dirty dishes.

seven. Artists, using their various forms of expression, are often more sincere reflections of a nation's pulse than are the nation's philosophers and politicians.

six. Some things are really hard to explain: Pluto the non-planet, Utopian thinking, fairness and equality, any relation between carbon dating AND new earth theory, the train of diagnostic thought on any of the recent House episodes, the purpose of mosquitos, the meaning of double rainbows, the genius of boomerangs, "Sir" Elton John, the excitement of new romance, the depth of weathered committed love, the recent obsession publishers have with vampires, and paying more $$$ for ripped jeans, to name a few.

five. Addictions, idols, and religion are understandable, but they do not give life.

four. if you bring home a new word, and (hypothetically speaking) try it out at the dinner table and get this response, "WHAT did you say?"... the appropriate thing to do NEVER is to repeat the word with greater volume and surety. (a lesson from my younger years).

three. if you get an obvious haircut and people don't compliment your new look, it's probably NOT because they didn't notice.

two. Cats don't like to be baptized.

one. Faith, Hope, and Love are the truest currencies... they transcend all time, status and culture.