What I Know For Sure

I was sick as a dog two days ago - so sick that I had to visit the doctor for the first time in a year.  The doctor diagnosed a sinus infection and sent me home on antibiotics. He also recommended I get "the real Sudafed". You know, the kind you have to swipe your ID for.   

There must be something in that "real Sudafed" because a few hours after I started talking it, I felt like a million dollars.  I only took one Sudafed that day because I went to bed early that night, but I  woke up the next morning at 5:30 a.m. full of energy.  The only reason you could tell that I was sick was because I sounded nasal. Otherwise, I was just having another busy bee day.  That night, however, I realized that you shouldn't take non-drowsy Sudafed right before bed.  You really don't get drowsy. The same day that I woke up at 5:30 a.m. I stayed up until 3:45 a.m.  I was up 22 hours.  Exactly what is in that "real Sudafed?"

While I was up lamenting my lack of sleep, I began to ponder "deep thoughts" as always happens when I have insomnia.  I had just had a conversation with a dear friend about family and I guess that got my brain going.   I began asking myself, Oprah-style, what do I really know for sure about family, friendship, love and just life in general?  Below are some of the crazy thoughts I came up with at 3 a.m.  after being up for 22 hours.  This list is in no particular order and by no means, is this list exhaustive, but I thought I'd share it anyway. 

What I Know For Sure

1. Family loves you no matter what.  You can be the meanest person to your mom, but she loves you just as much as she did when she first held you as a tiny baby in her arms.  Same goes for other family members. 

2. I don't think people realize how much their parents love them until they have children of their own.

3. True friends are the ones that don't mind listening to your issues over and over again.

4. It doesn't matter so much what I wear.  What matters is how I feel.  If I feel good, I will look good.

5. A parent's job is to teach their children to be productive, compassionate members of society. If you model compassion, your kids will be compassionate.  If you model selfishness, your kids will be selfish.  On the other hand, you can't blame it all on your parents, you make your own choices, too.

6. Seize the moment.  Some opportunities only come once in a lifetime.  You don't know how long your life is going to be.  Carpe diem!

7. There is no greater passion than the love between two married people (or people committed to each other) who are sharing the ups and downs of life together.

8.  Life is a lot about attitude.  If you have a positive attitude, you will have a positive life.

9.  Volunteering makes you happy.  Somehow dealing with other people's suffering makes you realize how good your life really is.

10. Life is a little about the destination and a lot about the journey.  My grandma used to say this to me all the time, in Spanish.

11. Don't let somebody who is having a bad day make you have a bad day, too.  Smile and move on.

12.  You can't really get to know someone else until you get to know yourself.  

13.  The guy tail-gating you is probably just in a hurry.  Move over and let him pass you.  There are few things in life more satisfying than watching him get pulled over a few blocks ahead of you for speeding.  :)

Okay.  Your turn.  What do you know for sure?

TTYL.