Have you ever noticed little ones running after birds, or fascinated by soap bubbles? They think they can catch those birds… Life events and happiness are illusory in the same way… we are chasing them because we don’t know that they are temporary like those soap bubbles. You definitely need to enjoy and appreciate everything you have, especially family, friends, work, house, even if it is rented, look for beauty in everything because everything you have today will be replaced by something else in a week. , month, year or in a few years.

When you’re in your mid-twenties, you wonder how your teenage years went by fast and now you can’t do what you could do in those years, so you don’t have time to think about your age until you’re in your late thirties when you’re horrified that you’ll soon be forty, but that doesn’t bother you so much when you cross fifty. At fifty, you think about your retirement, worry about your children, your future, and notice that you have developed health conditions that lead to a midlife crisis. That’s when you start to think that you could have planned your life better or saved a little more. In your mid-fifties, you realize that your years flew by while you were raising your children and now you are gradually getting behind the scenes and your children are getting into the front seat in life. They are the drivers and sometimes they give you directions. You look back and feel that life is like a dream…

As I sing the rhyme ‘row, row, row a boat…’ to my grandson, it makes a lot more sense now than when I learned it in kindergarten.

No one is permanent anywhere. When you have the job, it’s important to act like an ant, except for the rainy day. There is no security in life. Security is within you. I have chosen to enjoy time with my grandson. I know this won’t last long; soon he will go to school and have his interests. Then I will look for something else to enjoy and contribute.

Take life slowly, one step at a time. Learn to appreciate and value everything you have. It’s okay to have high goals, ambitions and pursue your interests. They will generate creativity and imagination, but they will choose to avoid frustration, anger, jealousy, sadness, fear of any and all negative emotions. Try not to compare yourself to anyone else because each of us is a unique current flow. I learned this when I was in high school. It is not worth brooding over something that is so insignificant in the macro perspective of life. We all have our own strengths.

While driving down a highway you cannot compare your car with another on the street in model, color, speed or destination. We all must follow the rules, respect another driver and drive to our destination. Life is exactly the same. Each of us has his own path in life; we must follow the rules: extend dignity and respect to every individual who comes into our life because no one is permanent on this earth. You and I are but a passing phase!!

There is always one person better than another in life due to a variety of reasons, maybe financially better, had a great role model, a teacher, or some advantage over the other. Not everyone can or needs to be number one. Life is not a competition. When you develop this awareness, I guarantee that you have learned to LIVE and can live a stress free life. Your physical and mental health will be better. You will live within your means and be more at peace with yourself. Our life is for us to live, not to run!

Living is enjoying, appreciating, experiencing peace from within and appreciating with a sense of gratitude.

In today’s world, where competition has taken the lead in all aspects of life, it is no wonder that stress is high and human health is affected all over the world: there is an increase in medical conditions, resulting in high insurance costs, then there are policies on who gets the doctor and who doesn’t.

What if you earn less than someone else? What if you missed a game? What would happen if you didn’t watch a movie? Nothing is lost. Learn to LIVE life!

With the advances in technology, although it is an extraordinary invention of our time, we must limit our use of them and learn to spend quality time with family face to face. Make sure you have a meeting once a month, either with family or friends. Take a vacation every four or six months. Spend your time in your garden or park. If you live in an apartment, spend an hour on the balcony. If you don’t have one, create a quiet area, perhaps with a small water feature and dim lighting to relax in.

Spend your time talking to a young child or an older person. Take the time to listen to an older person speak on a regular basis. They can be parents, aunts and uncles, or just any close older members you know. I did that with my mother, who was in her 80s, every Friday night for two hours. She encouraged her to share, expel emotions and by the way she relaxed me. I learned more about and from my mother during that time than ever before. I learned so much about her experiences in her life, the lessons she learned, the relationships she cherished, her regrets, her dreams, her ambitions, her accomplishments, and more. One day she went to bed and did not wake up in the morning. She was gone forever. She did not have any medical conditions. What a way to live and get out of this world!

You don’t have to spend a lot of money, but make sure you relax every day, every week.

Learn to accept obstacles, impediments, obstructions and challenges. It is part of life, like a tiger hunting a deer. It is nothing but nature. We can’t feel sorry and try to protect the deer. There is no one on this earth without challenges. Everyone experiences a different one than you have. That is why the support group is very useful for each member to experience a similar challenge and to be able to relate to each other.

Once you understand ‘Life is but a dream’ everything is inconsequential except your peace of mind. So, row, row, row a boat, GENTLY down the river!