A conversation last night, albeit via Skype, led me to lots of thinking. This is not new - my brain is generally on over-drive most days. But it made me think about all of the lessons I have learnt over time, and made me question what makes some people tick? Why do some of us take lessons in, suck the information in and take it as it is? Why do others buck the trend, pushing boundaries and rules, only then to learn the lesson - sometimes too late?
Of all the lessons I have been taught, these are some that have stuck with me....
"Drugs will kill you" - I clearly remember this lesson, and took it on board! From that day forward I believed that if I were ever tempted to try hard drugs, I would die. It would be just my luck. So I never did them. Don't get me wrong - I'm no angel. I gave Pot a go, but still have no idea all these years later what the appeal is? I have also learnt, way too close to home, that this apparent "soft drug" can be much more harmful than it has ever been given credit for......
The Grim Reaper - remember him? Those ads in the 80's of him standing in the bowling alley, knocking over people who had contracted AIDS, had me shaking in my boots. It's a shame that we don't have such hard hitting ads aimed at teenagers these days.....
Special occasion hair and make up - DO NOT allow anyone in Myer in the 90's to do your make up an hour before your engagement party! Lesson well and truly learnt there!
"Friendships Evolve" - A dear friend of mine shared this pearl of wisdom many years ago. When we met, we were new Mums trying to make sense of the little human beings we had been entrusted with. I was 11 years her junior, and took her wisdom for granted. She was right on the money.
"Smoking Kills" - And people still smoke. Young people still take it up. Just. Don't. Get. It.
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| I wonder if the designers at this "up-market" label were on some sort of drugs when they decided to release this beauty? |
90's fashion. Wrong then. Still wrong now.
First impressions are usually lasting - I don't know how many times it will take me to get this! I can usually pick someone's personality the first time I meet them. You know, whether they're my "kind of person"? Sometimes, just sometimes, I get it wrong! But most of the time - I get it right.
"Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could have been different" - Oprah. I've shared this one before, and will probably share it again. It's worth sharing. I miss Oprah.....
And last but not least?
Treat others as you would like to be treated. I try my hardest to do this on a daily basis. I am only human, so if I am pushed - I will push back. But generally speaking, I can stick to my guns. I definitely think my work helps. Through working with people with disabilities, and also when I did some aged care, I have learnt how NOT to treat others. Respect, dignity and a whole lot of patience can go a very long way. Given - it is a whole lot harder to apply these to the general public at times!
So tell me - what are the greatest lessons you have learnt? And are you passing them on?
As a child in the 80s I took the anti smoking campaign to heart and hid all of the boxes of matches that I could find in our house in an attempt to stop my Dad from smoking. Coincidentally I did this on the day of the local "Carol's By Candlelight". I remember a very tearful conversations with my parents saying I would retrieve said matches if my Dad would promise not to smoke. 30 odd years later and he is still smoking... Recently I have re-learnt a very important lesson that I am determined not to forget again. Trust your instincts. When it comes to passing on lessons... I try to teach my children to be kind and loving :)
ReplyDeleteThe biggest lesson I've learnt is that people don't judge you for what you do and say as much as you think they do.
ReplyDeleteIt took me 27 years and a night on the drink with an almost stranger to work that out
So very very true x
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