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When you're 15, 35 seems ancient.
When you're 35, 15 seems
juvenile. A turnaround in a split
second - two decades zoom past
and before you know it, it's only
a mile to the next millennium.
Don't fear age - it's a right of
personhood. Don't fear death -
it's God's greatest jest. Don't grow
old - you don't have to.
Don't date because you're desperate.
Don't marry because you're
miserable. Don't have kids because
you think your genes are
superior. Don't separate because
you think it's fashionable. Don't drink because you have troubles. Don't
gamble because you think
winning is inevitable. Don't philander
because you think you're
irresistible. Most likely, you're
not.
Don't associate with people you can't
trust. Don't cheat. Don't lie.
Don't pretend. Don't try to buy your
way into the kingdom of God.
Don't dictate because you're smarter.
Don't demand because you're stronger. Don't sleep around because you think
you're old enough and know better. Don't hurt your kids because loving
them is harder.
Don't sell your self, your family
or your ideals.
Don't stagnate. Don't regress. Learn
a new skill. Find a new
friend. Start a new career. Don't
live in the past. Time can't
bring anything or anyone back. Don't
put your life on hold for
possibly Mr. Right. Don't throw you
life away on absolutely Mr.
Wrong because your biological clock
is ticking and you can't
afford to have your eggs harvested
before the new millennium.
There's always a mad rush to something,
somewhere but victory does
not always belong to those who finish
first. Sometimes, there is no
race to be won, only a price to be
paid for some of life's more
hasty decisions. You can't always
go with the throng who could be wrong. Sometimes, you have to be alone
to be enlightened.
To terminate your loneliness, reach
out to the homeless. To feed
your nurturing instincts, care for
the needy. To fulfill your
parenting fantasies, get a puppy.
Don't bring another life into
this world for all the wrong reasons.
To keep yourself warm, buy a jacket. In the long run, it will be less complicated
and less
costly. To make yourself happy, pursue
your passions and be the
best of what you can be.
Simplify your life. Take away the
clutter. Get rid of destructive
elements - abusive friends, nasty
habits and dangerous liaisons.
Don't abandon your responsibilities
but don't overdose on duty.
Don't live life recklessly without
thought and feeling for your
family. Be true to yourself. Don't
commit when you're not ready.
Don't keep others waiting needlessly.
Fall in love - it's the
greatest thing on earth. But take
care and remember, after the fall must come the rise.
Go on that trip. Don't postpone it.
Say those words. Don't let the moment pass. Do what you must, even at society's
scorn. Write
poetry. Love deeply. Walk barefoot.
Hold hands. Dance with wild
abandon. Cry at the movies. Take
care of yourself. Don't wait for someone to take care of you. You light
up your life. You drive yourself to your destination. No one completes
you - except you.
It is true that life doesn't get easier
with age. It only gets more
challenging. Don't be afraid. Don't
lose your capacity to love.
Pursue your passions. Live your dreams.
Don't lose faith in God.
Don't grow old. Just grow up.
An article from Sun-Star daily newspaper...Don't
Grow Old By
Melanie T. Lim June 2, 1999
