I’ve been out of town on business this last week, so took the easy way out and cut and pasted a list of lessons learned that has been wrongly attributed to Andy Rooney of 60 Minutes fame. No matter their origin, I liked most of what I read on the list, and while I have not learned all these thing, I can relate to a lot of them. I am also acquainted with some people that have not learned several of the more important items on this list.
I’ve learned…. That when you’re in love, it shows.
I’ve learned…. That just one person saying to me, ‘You’ve made my day!’ makes my day.
I’ve learned…. That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.
I’ve learned…. That being kind is more important than being right.
I’ve learned…. That you should never say no to a gift from a child.
I’ve learned…. That I can always pray for someone when I don’t have the strength to help him in some other way.
I’ve learned…. That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.
I’ve learned…. That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.
I’ve learned…. That simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.
I’ve learned…. That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.
I’ve learned…. That we should be glad God doesn’t give us everything we ask for.
I’ve learned…. That money doesn’t buy class.
I’ve learned…. That it’s those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.
I’ve learned…. That under everyone’s hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.
I’ve learned…. That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.
I’ve learned…. That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.
I’ve learned…. That love, not time, heals all wounds.
I’ve learned…. That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.
I’ve learned…. That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile..
I’ve learned…. That no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.
I’ve learned… That life is tough, but I’m tougher.
I’ve learned…. That opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.
I’ve learned…. That when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.
I’ve learned…. That I wish I could have told my Mom that I love her one more time before she passed away.
I’ve learned…. That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.
I’ve learned….. That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.
I’ve learned….. That when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you’re hooked for life.
I’ve learned…. That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you’re climbing it.
I’ve learned…. That the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.
What have you learned?
Image by Michal Jarmoluk from Pixabay
Heard this on Mormon Stories last week: When you view the world (or the Church) through rose colored glasses, all the red flags just appear to be flags.
Thanks again, Bishop Bill.
What I have learned in my life:
(1) We are wrong much more often than we would be comfortable in admitting. That applies to liberal and conservatives, to believers and skeptics.
Oliver Cromwell, paradoxically (he was a man of dogmatic, barbarous certainty), is famous for having said to England‘s Long Parliament, “I beseech you, in the bowels of Christ, consider that you might be mistaken!” Great advice for anybody committed to a certain path of life, even though the advice comes from a bloody tyrant.
(2). We need to periodically re-examine why we believe what we believe. This is for both religious and political belief. Religiously, as we process unwelcome information about the Church, we must reconsider what is truly important to our testimony. For example, I accept the Book of Mormon as containing the word of God, but I no longer believe that everything in it is divine. And I have learned to shelve the question of its historicity as being of far less importance than following Mosiah 3:17. I am comfortable with this older version of myself.
Politically, this means having to be able to accept that one’s belief in a particular approach to government is no longer valid, and that one must support a different path. Biden is the first time in 14 Elections that I voted for a Democrat (voted Republican 10 times, Libertarian twice, independent once.) Enough said on politics.
(3) Charity never faileth. It is the pure love of Christ:
(4) Genuine revelation from God comes when one is truly humble and open to change. That is why SWK received the 1978 revelation on priesthood.
He was genuinely humble.
I have learned that coffee is actually good for you.
“The research found that those who drank moderate amounts of coffee, even with a little sugar, were up to 30 percent less likely to die during the study period than those who didn’t drink coffee.”
I have also learned that green tea is actually good for you:
“Drinking one cup of green tea every day was associated with a 15% lower mortality risk compared with those who drank no green tea, having two to three cups daily was associated with a 27% reduction, and drinking four or more cups was associated with a 40% drop in risk (P=0.001 for trend).Oct 20, 2020
https://www.medpagetoday.com › di…
Green Tea, Coffee, and Mortality Risk in T2DM | MedPage Today”
I have learned that Mormon-approved Diet Coke can actually be quite harmful:
“8 Potential Side Effects of Consuming Too Much Diet Soda
Could disrupt gut health. …
Erodes tooth enamel. …
May cause headaches. …
Could decrease bone density. …
May affect heart health. …
Might be associated with sugar cravings. …
Might be related to weight gain. …
May be linked to type 2 diabetes.
Aug 30, 2021
https://www.healthline.com › nutrition
8 Potential Side Effects of Consuming Too Much Diet Soda – Healthline@
Loved your list from Andy Rooney !!.
Some of what, I have learned in respect to the post Mormon journey:
1. There are good, healthy lives without Mormonism.
2. There are nuanced active people attending LDS church
3. Expanded my vocabulary.
4. Living life outside the constant lens of Mormonism is robust
5. The 2nd 1/2 of life is better than the first.
6. That most difficult questions about Mormon doctrine can be easily answered.
7. Many intellectual ex-Mormons tell more truths than the Q15
8. Extensive detailed accounts and facts about LDS history
9. That the LDS church acts, at times, like a soft cult.
10. That global warming is real.
11. That everyday that there is something new to learn.
I have learned that it is not my job to change people, but to enjoy them just as they are.
I have learned that listening is the most powerful tool in the relationship tool box.
I have learned that the purpose of life is to learn how to love.
I have learned that my children and grandchildren have a lot to teach me.
I have learned that there are many types of families.
I have learned that the LDS church is not a good fit for introverts and to set boundaries.
I have learned that critical thinking skills are , well, critical to the discovery of truth.
I have learned that quiet soothes the soul.
God wants me to love my kids even if they have piercings and tattoos and grow mushrooms.
No snark today here from me except for a passing thought about my guy Zelph…
The glory of God is continued learning (not blind obedience); eternal progression
Service over proselyting
Help the living over work for the dead
People over temples
“The best books” means the best books not GC talks
All members are cafeteria Mormon
A few things I have learned from W&T:
That ex and fringe Mormons are great people.
That there are some bishops who have caused deep pain and sorrow unnecessarily.
That I should be slow to judge the choices of others, or even better, not judge at all.
That when sharing my thoughts/opinions/beliefs, I should do it in an attitude of simply sharing, not “my way or the highway”.
One thing I have learned is to be willing to admit that I don’t know the answer.
Old woman
I LOVE your list. I’m going to adopt it!
The only thing I would add is that I have learned to value my personal lived experiences and intuition over the advice of non-credentialed strangers when it comes to make no personal decisions. I’m capable of putting in the work to figure things out.
Thank you Chadwick. Your addition is great! Adding it to my list.
Great list of things learned!
I keep a small book of things that give me strength. In it is a list in progress of things I have learned. I’ll share a few.
Live in the moment.
Give people your full attention.
Be yourself.
You can’t do it all and that’s ok.
Take a nap.
A good walk can solve some problems. So can chocolate. 🍫
Open your eyes to others’ suffering.
Everyone is going through hard stuff.
Don’t go grocery shopping when hungry. 😄
Complaining won’t cure sore feet.
Listen more. Talk less.
Choose a book over TV.
Speak up/Stand up for what is right. Even when it’s hard.
Force field up! Against negativity.
Never refuse a breath mint! ☺️
These are a sample of 61 things I’ve learned. Don’t be like me who learned these things the hard way!
Life has been *way* better when I learned to tolerate invalidation. Got this one from Jennifer Finlayson Fife.
I’ve learned that (almost) whatever your post on W&T is about, somebody will attempt to hijack it with “Trump vs. reality” and/or obscure, weird prophecies about the end times 😉
Haha, sorry Rich!
I’ve learned that… church members know a lot less than they think they know and others know a lot more than we give them credit for.
I’ve learned that… much of the work of adulthood is unlearning what you were taught as a child.
I’ve learned that… grandparenthood is a chance to repair some of the damage caused by their parents, the same people you managed to damage in their childhood.
The world is wonderful and mostly good. I would like someone to give Ukraine missiles that will reach the kremlin
BWB, Do we all loose our free agency because of the interpretation of this passage? If you are told something is going to happen can you try to stop it?
Trump does not seem to figure in the future unless he is one of the heads that kill Kamala Harris and take over?
If that happens America is a dictatorship with trump as dictator? You can’t kill the president and take over in a democracy, can you?
Is that desirable and can you try to stop it, Or do you help it happen? Do you have any control/responsibility?
The other 2 heads could be china and russia. America is no longer the leader of the free world, the 3 dictator superpowers are working together?
Are you responsible to stop this happening, or has agency been replaced?
Hey Geoff, just got home from a family get together. It’s just after midnight here. I’ll share some thoughts on your questions and hypotheticals tomorrow. And in the interest of not hijacking another thread with Trump and end-times stuff, I’ll reply in the other post 😉
I’ve learned that life is “saving the world, one pointless act at a time.” To me, that means that our effort to make the world a better place also has inherent value, even if it’s ineffective or misguided. (It’s a quote from Veronica Mars).
I’ve also learned that
– People are a lot smarter than I used to think
– Losing your phone for a while is a good thing
– Spending time with loved ones, even in silence, is better than the alternative
– When you experience something thought provoking, you need time to digest it and reflect on it without being told what it means
– It doesn’t matter what others think of you. Most of them don’t.
Angela, I love the Veronica Mars quote, and your interpretation even more. I think that we are frequently too hard on ourselves. Perhaps despite the immediate results, the effort is important. And hopefully every experience is a learning experience. All as part of our eternal progression.