It hung there, on my bulletin board - forgotten underneath the doctor’s appointment card, a receipt of a long since mailed certified letter, and some important reminders about the changing status of things at work.
Bulletin boards are like that, an accumulation of daily minutia and formed layers of time that can, to the trained eye, be read like the rings of a fallen tree.
I vaguely remember printing it and hanging it there, but the twenty-eight pin holes decorating its surface will attest to the fact that it was hung quite some time ago.
I have always been a fan of Maya Angelou’s poetry, a particular favorite, “On Reaching Forty,” gets trotted out every time some poor soul reaches that magic number.
But this one, “What I Have Learned,” speaks volumes to one who is on the shady side of fifty. I think it captures the essence of my quest for “Positive Thinking.”
I’m glad I was wise enough to save the words, though the fact that they are obviously in need of dusting off, speaks volumes to my best laid plans.
What I Have Learned
Maya Angelou
"I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life
does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.
I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she
handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled
Christmas tree lights.
I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll
miss them when they're gone from your life.
I've learned that making a "living" is not the same thing as making a life."
I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.
I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on
both hands; you need to be able to throw something back.
"I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually
make the right decision.
I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.
I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People
love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back
I've learned that I still have a lot to learn.
I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what
you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
© 9 March 2009, Desktop Genealogist Unplugged, Teresa L. Snyder
