Wisdoms From A Grandmother Before Her Death

It's Sunday morning and I am lying in bed reading from my iPad

and drinking my first cup of coffee when I come across a Facebook

entry from a friend.  The title of the article she had 

uploaded from a blog called Marc and Angel was 

"12 Things My Grandmother Told Me Before She Died." 

I am totally intrigued.  Aren't we searching to learn

why we are here and how we are to live this thing called life?

Someone before her death shares what she has learned 

 from her own story and I can't pass this up.  

Will she have the answers I am looking for?

There is a wisdom in aging and these 12 items inspire

beautifully what is important in life.  What I loved about

this particular Grandmother was that she kept an inspirational

journal.  In this book, she would jot down ideas, thoughts,

quotes and anything that moved her.  I too love the power of

journals, although I don't religiously write something everyday,

I do religiously go back to the process when I am feeling

stuck or at odds in my life.

Here are the 12 things this wise Grandmother

left for her grandson and 6 photos of beautiful

women still living inspirational lives.

Faith Winthrop - 81 year old jazz singer

1.  Breathe in the future, breathe out the past.

No matter where you are or what you're going through, always believe 

that there is a light a the end of the tunnel.  Never expect, assume, or demand. 

 Just do your best, control the elements you can control, and then let it be.

2.  Life CAN be simple again.

Just choose to focus on one thing at a time.  You don't have to do it all, 

and you don't have to do it all right now.  Breathe, be present 

and do your best with what's in front of you

 Vanessa Redgrave - Italian Vogue

3.  Let others take you as you are, or not at all.

Speak your truth even if your voice shakes.  By being yourself, you put 
something beautiful into the world that was not there before.

4.  You are not who you used to be, and that's OK.

You've been hurt; you've gone through numerous ups and downs that have
 made you who you are today.  Many things have happened over the years 
that changed your perspective, taught you lessons and forced your spirit to grow.  
You are still the same person, just a little stronger now that you were before.

 Iris Apfel - stylish maven

5.  Everything that happens helps you grow, 
even if it's hard to see right now.

Circumstances will direct you, correct you and perfect you over time.  Hold on to hope.  
The tiniest thread will twist into an unbreakable cord.  Let hope anchor 
you in the possibility that this is not the end of your story ... 
that change will bring you to peaceful time.

6.  Do not educate yourself to be rich, 
educate yourself to be happy.

That way, when you get older you'll know the value of things, not the price.  
You will come to realize that the best days are the days when you don't 
need anything extreme or special to happen to make you smile. 
 Appreciate the moment.

 Twyla Tharp at age 70

7.  Be determined to be positive.

Know that the greatest part of your misery is determined not by your 
circumstances, but by your attitude.  Smile at those who often try to 
begrudge or hurt you, and realize they can't take anything away from you.

8.  Pay close attention to those you care about.

Sometimes when a loved one says, "I'm okay," they need you to look them in the
 eyes, hug them tight, and reply, "I know you're not."  And don't be upset if some
 people only seem to remember you when they need you.  Feel privileged that 
you are like a beacon of light that comes to their minds 
when there is darkness in their lives.

 Lauren Hutton

9.  Sometimes you have to let a person go so they can grow.

Because over the course of their lives, it is not what you do for them, 
but what you have taught them to do for themselves that 
will make them a successful human being.

   10.   Sometimes getting the results you crave means stripping      yourself of people that don't serve your best interests.

Allow space for those who support you in being the absolute best version 
of yourself.  It happens gradually as you grow.  You find out who you are and 
what you want, and then you realize that people you've known forever don't see 
things the way you do.  So keep the wonderful memories, but find yourself moving on.

Helen Mirren

11.  It's better to look back on life and say, "I can't believe 
           I did that," than to look back and say, "I wish I did that."

In the end, people will judge you in some way.  So don't live your life 
trying to impress others.  Instead live your life impressing yourself. 
Love yourself enough to never lower your standards for anyone. 

12.  If you're looking for a happy ending and can't seem    
              to find one, maybe it's time to start looking 
for a new beginning.

Brush yourself off and accept that you have to fail from time to time.  
That's how you learn.  The strongest people out there - the ones who laugh the
 hardest with a genuine smile - are the same people who have fought the 
toughest battles.  They're smiling because they've decided that they're not 
going to let anything hold them down.

Many thanks to Marc for sharing these words of wisdom
from his Grandmother.  What a lovely legacy she left for him
and ultimately  for us.