My Writings and PoemsAuthor: David.M.Clark Published: 13, Aug, 2011 Notes: Originally posted on FaceBook in the days following my 50th birthday on the 26th of May 2011. Well as I turned 50 this week just gone, I have been contemplating what conclusions I can make for living for five decades here on God’s earth. When you mention you turned 50 everyone asks if you are having a big party or doing some massive activity, but we didn’t do anything like that. You see, I am a family man and as a child there was only really my mum and I to speak of - my mum was awesome and really raised me on her own which was no small undertaking. So to me my ultimate goal in life has been to be the father that I never had, and the husband my mother never had. So for me turning 50 meant I would do what I always love to do: spend time with the three most beautiful people God has blessed me with; my family, being my beautiful wife and our two wonderful sons. I have lived longer than some, and shorter than some, so here I will note some observations that I have found that work for me: 1. Be happy: I know life can really be terrible at times (bad health, bad work days or workplaces in general, bills, people squabbles, family issues, mistakes you’ve made, losing loved ones), but through it all, if you are breathing then you have another day as a gift - be happy with that and then add each of your blessings to it. 2. Life’s Blessings: Count your blessings and keep them foremost in your mind always: The people who love you, the people you love (sadly may not always be the same category of people - I have found that not everybody likes me - so what, it shouldn’t stop me still caring for them). Family and friends are the treasures of life that you can’t measure with worldly wealth. Your home: which is not necessarily your house or where you live as I know these to be two different things in some cases. Your work: if you don’t like your work look to find the things in it that make it better for you. The best satisfaction is to find what you love doing and make it your career. At the end of the day, work will help keep the roof over your head and food on the table - that alone is a blessing as so many others in the world don’t even have these. Balance is the key in that you should work to live rather than live to work. 3. The Past: Don’t let your past assassinate your present and future. The past cannot be rewritten no matter what you or someone else can do in most cases, but what makes the difference is that you set a better plan now for tomorrow. Do what you can while you can. Your past mistakes is another big one that can cripple you. You can’t undo them but you can do something today that will heal or undo them - and if they can’t be undone despite everything you can think to do, bury them and move on. 4. Value your time: Time is the only thing we can’t get back. Money you can earn again but time is the one commodity that you don’t get back again. Use your time to get done what needs to be done and use your time to help those close to you. Take time to be with others. But also don’t feel guilty if you need some time alone to just recharge yourself. I am 50 and it only seems like yesterday I was jumping around in our creek on our property with my best mates. I would have my days again but I value and treasure the memories I have with me. 5. Communicate: Tell those you love how much they mean to you. Use your words to the best of your ability to say “I really love you”, “I appreciate you in my life”, “you make me who I am today” - let people know so when you are gone, they know how much they meant to you. 6. Be a student of life: Jim Rohn used to say this and it really grabbed my attention. Learn all you can no matter how old you are. Learn all you can about life itself being both yours and others. By this you will get wisdom and wisdom will help you when you need it and wisdom will more so help others when they need it. 7. Encourage: Talk up to people no matter how you feel (easier said than done some days I know), and talk up to people no matter who they are. The world is ready to pull down and ridicule; don’t buy it - be someone who encourages others to do the best they can do, to be the best they can be. 8. Believe in who you are: You are the only “you” this world will see, so why not be the best “you” that you can be. The negative and unkind things that were done to you or spoken to you do not define you. The quicker you realise this the quicker you become free of a false self-image. Hold close to your heart those good things that have been spoken into your soul that let you fly - that help reaffirm who you are. 9. Guard your heart: try to be good to everyone but don’t let anyone try to take advantage of you emotionally. It profits you none if you can no longer function in this world because someone has been able to wound you. Not everyone will have your best interest as their focus. 10. Forgive: Forgiveness is hard especially when someone has wounded you beyond your minds ability to process it completely. But holding onto un-forgiveness will ultimately kill you, not the person, people, company, “whatever” that hurt you. Dream for a better tomorrow for you and your loved ones. Sleep deeply and peacefully because a life full of worry will just leave you angry towards the end of it. |