Wisdom Through the Ages

By Denise Heidel

They say that wisdom comes with age and don’t I know how true that is! I really believe we have to experience certain truths for ourselves before we can ever truly understand how meaningful they are. As another birthday approaches, I decided to take stock on a few valuable life lessons I’ve finally come to understand.

• Some people will never realize how loud they are when they talk.
• Some people will never understand that socks with sandals are really tacky.
• Women are not the moodier of the sexes.
• Women are credited for nagging, but many, many men are quite skilled at it, too.
• Sick and personal days aren’t supposed to be used when you work in Corporate America…they’re more like decoration for your paycheck.
• I completely understand what my mother meant when she used to say, “Just wait until you have kids of your own.”
• If I wear white, I will spill something.
• Every time I hear Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” I will sing along.
• Patience isn’t just a virtue, it’s a life skill.
• I’m never going to be too old for Harry Potter books.
• Someday, my son will read this and finally get it.
• You can’t change anyone.
• You can change yourself.
• I feel much younger than the number actually reflects.
• My mother will always expect me to call her when I get home.
• Me time is important.
• Girlfriend time is priceless.
• Pat Benatar was right: love is a battlefield.
• There will always be someone who doesn’t like you, and you’ll never understand why.
• You don’t have to like everyone, but you’d better learn to get along with everyone.
• Some people will never understand the concept of personal space.
• Walking away isn’t necessarily a sign of weakness.
• Taking the high road is very often a hard climb, but the view is usually magnificent.
• Some battles aren’t worth fighting.
• There’s an art to standing up for yourself without coming across as argumentative.
• Everyone thinks they have a great sense of humor.
• There will always be those who will try to one-up you.
• Not everyone can be the leader; sometimes you just have to try to be the best follower you can be.
• Having the last word isn’t always the most important thing.
• The old adage “don’t let the sun set on your anger” isn’t always the best solution to working out a problem.
• Communication is not just a skill that benefits you as a professional, it’s a virtue to be mastered.

What pearls of wisdom would make your list? I’d love to read them and hopefully – learn from them!