Learning the Hard Way - 24 lessons

Day after day, year after year there are lessons to learn.  Most of the lessons in life I have had to learn the hard way.  

Lesson 1: I am the only one responsible for what I do.

Lesson 2:  People who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences, are my heroes.

Lesson 3: Some of the people I expected to kick us when we were down where the ones who had our backs. Some of people I expected to have our back didn’t. 

Lesson 4: Kindness comes from the most un-expected places.

Lesson 5: After my good friend Warren died; I realized he and I could do anything or nothing and have the best time.

Lesson 6: You can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

Lesson 7: No matter how bad you feel, how bad you think things are there is always someone else who has it even worse.

Lesson 8: When a loved one is dying, it is a blessing for the rest of your life to be able to tell that loved one goodbye.

Lesson 9: You cannot make someone love you. You can strive to be someone who can be loved and leave the rest to them.

Lesson 10: Regardless of how much I care, some people will never care back.

Lesson 11: Trust can be destroyed in seconds after years of building it up.

Lesson 12:  I should never compare my best to the best of others… although I still do.

Lesson 13: You can dazzle and charm people for about 15 minutes, after that you better be able to show what you know.

Lesson 14: Keep going!  keep going even after you think you can’t. There is no hole so deep you cannot dig yourself out of.

Lesson 15: If I don’t control my attitude it will most definitely control me.

Lesson 16: Sometimes I have the right to be angry but when I am I have to learn to control my temper.

Lesson 17: Maturity has nothing to do with the number of years I have lived and everything to do with the experiences I have had.

Lesson 18: No matter what my background or circumstances, I am still responsible for who I have become.

Lesson 19: That it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be…and to admit I’m still not that person.

Lesson 20: That no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.

Lesson 21: Never be eager to find out a secret.  It could change your life forever.

Lesson 22: No matter how you try to protect your children, they will eventually get hurt and you will hurt in the process.

Lesson 23:  Two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

Lesson 24: People you don’t even know can change your life in a matter of moments.