No matter what my x-husband(s) may tell you, I do not think I know everything. In fact, I am darn sure I don’t! The older I get and the more knowledge I acquire, the more I realize how little I actually do know! Every week of my middle-aged life is an adventure of some sort! Actually, every day of my life has been an adventure but sometimes it takes reaching a more “advanced” age to recognize those gifts!

Every day is a chance to learn new things about myself or someone else. Some days I embrace that and some days my attitude coincides more with my favorite bumper sticker on the back of my car that says “Oh no, not another learning experience!”

Things I’ve learned, or relearned recently, big and small, good and bad:

• Obviously, they are making print smaller and smaller on things, but if I give in and use the little old lady reading glasses I can actually see stuff without holding it two feet in front of me or trying to find “better light.”
• Sometimes new friends come in very unexpected ways, even when you weren’t looking for one!
• I’m still, some days, hanging on to the idea that I’m in control despite an entire lifetime worth of evidence that has proven otherwise.
• Old dogs can learn new tricks, it just takes us a little longer.
• The best way to solve a miscommunication is to communicate.
• When apologizing, just say “I’m sorry” and not “I’m sorry but you did this, this or that.” I’m sorry, period, always gets better results.
• Some people are just assholes and no amount of reasoning with them is ever going to change that so I need to stop expecting anything else from them.
• Never pass up a chance to tell someone what they mean to you, or meant to you, or an opportunity to give a kind word to someone in pain, because sometimes it will be your last chance to do it, ever . . .
•  My youngest daughter is completely capable of handling stressful situations, like someone running into her car and calling the police and filling out an accident report, without any help from me!
• You cannot help someone who does not want help, or is not ready for your help. Just let them know you are there. Then stop beating yourself up over it and wait for them to come to you!
• Eventually, you have to give in to who you are, and stop hanging on to who you used to be. Recently, this meant just giving in and buying pants in the next size up in order to actually be comfortable!
• Learn to see the beauty in things that didn’t go according to plan. I planted a flower box, with perfectly spaced pansies. The color scheme was specific. There were bright yellow pansies and wine colored pansies with yellow centers. Yesterday a big purple pansy bloomed in the middle of them. It doesn’t match, it messed up my plan. It’s actually the prettiest one in the box!
• Life doesn’t make sense. There is no logical explanation for that. Stop looking for one.
• All work and no play makes Karen a complete bitch and a few hours of fun with friends can make up for a long, tiresome work week!
• Karaoke is actually, ridiculously fun!
• I AM capable of far more things than I usually give myself credit for!
• Remember that thing our parents told us about not judging a book by its cover, that was an important one! Usually, the most amazing people come in the most unexpected packages!
• And finally, there is at least ONE person on the planet I can totally beat at air hockey, sorry E!

Have a great week folks! Keep an eye out for those gifts!