Young at Heart

Recently, I received an email and it's a very interesting email because it talked about how to stay young and I believe the 'young' here is talking about young at heart. Everybody will grow old in terms of age and look, but not everybody can stay young on the inside.
You can be young on the outside yet old on the inside, you are pessimistic, lost of hope, no future to look forward to, etc. On the other side, you can be 60+ or 70+ years old, but you are still energetic, optimistic, full of confidence and hope. The difference is on the choice that you made.
So, here are 10 things you can do to stay young at heart:
1. Throw out nonessential numbers
This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That’s why you pay them
2. Keep only cheerful friends
The grouches pull you down. (Keep this in mind if YOU are one of those grouches.)
3. Keep learning
Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, and whatever. Never let the brain get idle. An idle mind is the devil's workshop. And the devil's name is Alzheimer's!
4. Enjoy the simple things
5. Laugh often, long and loud until you gasp for breath
And if you have a friend who makes you laugh, spend lots and lots of time with HIM / HER.
6. Surround yourself with what you love
Whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, or whatever.
7. The tears happen
Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us in our entire life, is yourself. LIVE while you are alive.
8. Cherish your health
If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, GET HELP.
9. Don't take guilt trips
Take a trip to the mall, even to the next country, to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is.
10.Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity

"I promise to keep on living as though I expected to live forever. Nobody grows old by merely living a number of years. People grow old only by deserting their ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up interest wrinkles the soul"
- unknown -

The Cracked Pot

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole, which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his house.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do. After 2 yrs of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you. I have been able to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts."

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."

Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are, and look for the good in them. Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape. Remember to appreciate all the different people in your life!

"Sometimes our greatest strength come from our weakness"
- Unknown -

Person of Strength

A Strong Person vs A Person of Strength
A strong person works out every day to keep their body in shape.
A person of strength builds relationships to keep their soul in shape.

A strong person isn't afraid of anything.
A person of strength shows courage in the midst of their fear.

A strong person won't let anyone get the best of them.
A person of strength gives the best of themself to everyone.

A strong person makes mistakes and avoids the same in the future.
A person of strength realizes life's mistakes can also be unexpected blessings and capitalizes on them.

A strong person wears a look of confidence on their face.
A person of strength wears grace.

A strong person has faith that they are strong enough for the journey.
A person of strength has faith that it is in the journey that they will become strong.

"I can handle anything that life throws at me - I may not be able to handle it well, or correctly, or gracefully, or with finesse, or expediently - but I will handle it. Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance!!!!!"
- Unknown -