I listened recently to Baz Luhrmann's "Everybody's free (To wear sunscreen)". As I listened to it and reminisced my fast fading youth- I've thought of my own advice - with a thankful wave to Baz and Mary-to our older friends. I call it, "Wear T-Shirts".
Ladies and gentlemen, to the class of the older generation,
Wear T-Shirts.
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, T-shirts would be it. A long term benefit has been proved by us, the young people--where as the rest of my advice, has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience; I will deal my advice to you, now.
Enjoy the opportunities of the learning you could have. Don't be afraid of a computer-embrace it. Oh never mind, you won't know the power and beauty of the youth's around you until they've faded. But trust me, in 20 years you'll look back at the good times that you had, and recall in a way you can't understand now--how much your young adult son or daughter really changed you. You are not so old that you can't still learn a thing or two from a young buck.
Don't worry about our future. We will come to you when we need you. Don't just give us a freebie, let us hurt a little. The smoothest rock wasn't made by years of sitting on the sidelines. Let us mess up, but not too much. Let us share what we've learned about the importance of learning, maybe you'll learn something from us.
Do
one thing everyday that changes you for tomorrow. I don't mean get a tattoo, or take that trip to the North Pole, but do something. Don't say "I'm content to stay where I am."
Laugh.
Don't let someone's negativity or sad look on life bring you down, and don't let yourself be that way to someone else.
Floss.
Don't waste your time on comparing yourself to others, the only one to compare to is you.
Give more compliments to those younger than you. Forget the insults and sarcasm.
Remember to love, even if they don't love back.
Listen.
Don't feel frustrated if you don't know how to use your new cell phone, I know people half your age that don't remember how to remember because that "new gadget" does it for them.
Get plenty of fun in your life.
Be kind to your closest friends. You'll miss them when they're gone.
Maybe you'll run a marathon, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll learn to play the Wii, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll live longer than your children. Maybe you'll jump out of an airplane when you're 95 just to say that you did...the adrenaline may kill you, but your choices have consequences; just like everybody else.
Smile. Even if you have nowhere to do it but in front of your loved ones and the mirror, laugh at yourself-even if you think you're an idiot...BE SURE you read your scriptures everyday the example to us will last a lifetime.
Get to know your children since they've moved away. Don't believe for a second that they're going to stay the same punk high school-er that grew their hair out and didn't listen to you. They're different.
Go on vacation to some exotic getaway. St. George doesn't count.
Go visit church history sites. St. George again, doesn't count.
Realize no one is perfect. Especially the members of your congregation.
Don't find so much fault in those around you. When you start to focus on the dirt, that's all you see. Love the one's your children choose to marry and treat them as one of your own. They're adding to your family, not taking away from it.
Be careful with how much advice you shell out, sometimes the best advice you can give us is a listening ear.
But trust me about the T-shirt.
