Life Lessons Learned from your Grandmother
Every child needs a Grandmother’s heart and a Grandmother’s wisdom. When I picture my grandmother, I see her as a jolly, plump old woman with wonderfully full arms that held me when I cried and a calm, gentle voice that sang me to sleep. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I came to value all of her little “life lessons” – the beauty of cut fresh flowers, the elegance of using linen napkins and china daily and so many suggestions on how to live life fully and joyously.
Now, as a grandmother myself, I hope to instill in my grandchildren my own life lessons – how to nourish your soul, falling in and out of love, living with dignity and grace, and most importantly, enjoying the journey.
Enjoy the Journey. Goals are important but not at the expense of your happiness. Maintain a balance between getting to where you want to go and being happy as you get there.
Be in the Moment. Focus on one task at a time rather than trying to accomplish everything at once.
Art of Nothingness. To calm our minds and allow the gifts of nature’s bounty to caress our soul is the ultimate in peace and tranquility. Find the beauty of everyday things: clouds, birds, music, water, trees…
Appreciate Yourself. Your happiness and self-worth are not dependent on what others may think of you. Regardless of the challenges in your life, make the conscious decision to appreciate yourself and to completely enjoy being you, with everything this entails.
Greet the Day! Enjoy the early morning hours with peace, quiet and reflection. Take a few minutes to simply sit and breathe. The most glorious part of the day is the sunrise when the day slowly gets brighter, when the dark blue sky turns a lighter hue and the brilliant colors start to seep into the sky.
Meditation for the Soul. Learn the art of meditation. It’s a wonderful way of releasing the stresses of the day. The ability to breathe slowly and systematically creates a relaxing physical self.
What would you do if you knew you could not fail? Imagine not having the fear to do the things you want to do in life. Today, at this very moment, you have the ability, wisdom and strength to be all you want to be and have all your dreams come true. Trust in yourself, toss the fears aside and let the hues of your bright future shine through.
Limit the couch time. Move, dance, play, run, skip and soar.
Give with no Expectations. Wrap up your inner self in a big red bow and give it to others. Give of your talents, your laughter, you affection, encouragement and love. Do not expect or require anything in return…it comes back to you.
Listen closely to your grandmother when she speaks and hold on to each pearl, for therein lies tremendous truth and wisdom.
Judy Smith is the author of Dear Granddaughter: Life Lessons from Your Grandmother and a proud grandmother of four. She enjoys teaching her grandchildren the value of wisdom from their elders. While she is a young grandmother, she believes today’s younger generations are missing out on old-fashioned values and life lessons. She is also the co-author of the book Business Mojo: Achieving Success Through Mystical Exploration.
