One of the things about getting older is that you start to realise how little you know and how much there’s still for you to see, do, experience and learn.
I’ve written about this before, but I feel that at 40, I’m only now just starting to recognise what I’m really interested in and what I want to aim for, and yet in the usual twist of life, I now have less time to achieve it which places additional [self imposed] pressure on my shoulders because I can’t stand the thought of at least not having a go.
Of course the other pain in the ass is that in 10 years time, I’ll have found another 10 years of things that will have captured my imagination so I am destined to be on my death bed and feeling pissed off because some things I wanted to do escaped me – however given I have a wonderful wife, family, life and, to a certain extent, career – not to mention all the usual stuff like health and friends etc etc – I can’t get too pissed off but you might need to remind me of that when I’m drawing my last breaths hopefully a very long time into the future.
But despite all that, there are some things I’ve learnt in my 40 years of life that would have been very useful to know when I was younger and some of these are:
1/ When someone disagrees with you, it doesn’t mean you’re wrong, it means they just disagree with you.
2/ Women actually like men who talk openly to them about their hopes, dreams and feelings … so …
3/ … women will not destroy you if you talk to them. Especially if you follow lesson #2.
4/ Being healthy starts when you’re young.
5/ Insults can undermine someone’s confidence for the rest of their life.
6/ Your school days really are a special time in your life.
7/ You have to work hard to create fate.
8/ Responsible doesn’t mean boring.
9/ Success requires more than exam results.
10/ Your first job won’t be your last job which is why …
11/ … your first career doesn’t have to be your only career.
12/ Your World can – and should – extend beyond your street.
13/ Don’t take your friends and family for granted.
14/ ‘Bad timing’ really is a legitimate excuse.
15/ The World does need more artists, writers and inventors.
16/ Don’t listen to careers advisors. Ever.
17/ Life isn’t that scary, infact it’s quite exciting.
18/ Good things sometimes come to an end and it’s better to let go than to hang on.
19/ Don’t worry away your life.
20/ You won’t ever know all the answers.
21/ There’s someone for everyone.
22/ Life isn’t preordained.
23/ Popularity is overrated and strictness is underrated.
24/ Your parents were right about more things that you’d ever like to admit.
25/ Katrina Brindley was not the World’s most beautiful woman.
There’s plenty more, but what I’d love to hear are your lessons from the future … if only to reinforce what a fucked up little sod I was when I was younger, ha!
OK, so as of tomorrow, it’s basically holiday here till the 8th October so you’re basically free from my rubbish for almost 3 weeks, so enjoy every moment of peace & quiet but I guarantee you, as much as you think you’re living the dream, it won’t possibly be as much fun as I’ll be having.
God bless communism.