Life lessons

Over the years, life has taught me many lessons. Because these insights are so critical to my daily contentment I am choosing to work on them instead of making new resolutions. Among these are:

--Not comparing myself to others. We are all unique and have different gifts and abilities.

--Because life is unpredictable, I choose to live one day at a time, enjoy one moment at a time, and accept hardship as the pathway to peace of mind.

--Letting go of worry about the future or stewing about the past with all of its disappointments, failures and heartaches frees me to enjoy today.

– Instead of saving good manners for company, my family and friends deserve my respect and thoughtfulness.

--Since pain in life is inevitable, and suffering is optional, I get to choose my responses.

-- The only times I fail is when I quit trying.

-- Taking chances and struggling to master a new skill teaches me to be braver, more creative, and more trusting.

--Eating smaller portions, more fruits and vegetables, and less sugar, plus walking every day helps me feel better physically and emotionally.

--In most situations less is really more. Getting too attached to my “stuff” makes me more fearful, distrustful, and suspicious.

--Facebook or text messages can't substitute for sitting across a table and talking with someone I love.

--Heartbreak and difficulty often bring out the best in us. Recognizing that all of us are broken motivates me to be more tolerant and gracious toward others and to give up my need to be right.

--Random acts of kindness make a fantastic difference!

--What is best for others is ultimately best for me. Life is not about “me” but “we.” Living by the Golden Rule enriches my life.

--Accepting that those I love will inevitably disappoint, hurt and betray me at times, allows me to let go of my unrealistic expectations. As the popular saying puts it, “the quickest way to receive love is to give love. The quickest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly. The best way to keep love is to give it wings.”

--To be without hope is to be without purpose. I can be just as happy as I make up my mind to be.

--Life is not a race or something to be endured. Life is a journey to be savored each step of the way. By looking for the positive and being grateful for the small mercies of each day I am more able to learn the lessons life tries to teach me.

--Gratitude is the secret ingredient of a joyous, contented life. I choose to intentionally practice gratitude every day no matter what is happening.

--It's when I feel most broken and alienated that I try to remind myself that I am a beloved child of God because “God don't make no junk.”

--The most profound answer to my prayers is not having things go my way or getting the answers I desire but resting in the quiet assurance that God is love.

Joyce Shutt is pastor emeritus of the Fairfield Mennonite Church.