59 Lessons at 59

I recently turned 59. Not the big 60 milestone but knocking on the door. In honor of this “almost-milestone” birthday, here are 59 lessons or truths I’ve picked up along the way that may be helpful for you:

1. Family is the greatest treasure. I’ve learned this from countless dinners, phone calls, and quiet moments of simply being together.
2. Love grows when you give it away.
3. Small kindnesses matter more than big speeches. Holding a door, writing a note, or showing up means more than most people will admit.
4. A campfire has a way of pulling people closer. Some of our best conversations happened with smoke in our face and stars overhead.
5. Walks in the woods teach patience. The trail never hurries, but it always leads you somewhere good, even if the trail leads back to where you started.
6. Listening is often better than speaking.
7. Start, even if you don’t know the finish line.
8. Forgiveness frees the forgiver.
9. Work hard, but not so hard you miss the laughter at the dinner table. That laughter is life fuel.
10. Friendships need tending like gardens.
11. A calm mind shapes a calm day. How you manage your thoughts sets the tone for how you live, not just how you lead.
12. Prayer steadies shaky ground.
13. Scars are inevitable but can become footholds.
14. Your children and grandchildren remember the times you kept your word. Integrity is how love earns trust over a lifetime.
15. Music can heal a weary spirit.
16. Laughter with grandchildren is holy ground. Even the silliest joke can create amazing memories.
17. Take pictures but also put your phone down.
18. The best conversations happen unplanned, often on the way to somewhere else.
19. God shows up in ordinary moments.
20. Start with what you have, not what you lack.
21. Be quick to encourage. A word of encouragement can feel like oxygen to someone gasping for air.
22. Time with your spouse is the best investment you’ll ever make.
23. A sunrise reminds us the story isn’t over.
24. Be generous with money, with time, and with grace.
25. Don’t underestimate a good meal shared…even a bad meal shared.
26. Patience is a form of love.
27. Read good books slowly. And read them aloud. I’ll never forget the nights of reading Harry Potter chapters to my kids, one voice carrying us all to another world.
28. Children teach us as much as we teach them.
29. A soft answer turns away wrath.
30. Slow down for sunsets.
31. Stay curious, even at 59.
32. Hold babies gently, but often.
33. Let go of what you can’t control.
34. Keep your promises, even the small ones. If you can’t be trusted in the little things, no one will trust you with the big ones.
35. Coffee or a meal with a friend beats any meeting.
36. Rest is productive.
37. Gratitude doesn’t just brighten the day. It multiplies joy in ways you can’t measure. It shifts ordinary moments into holy ones.
38. The journey matters more than the finish line.
39. Never be too proud to say, “I was wrong.” Or “I don’t know.”
40. Faith isn’t about knowing all the answers.
41. Celebrate progress, not perfection.
42. Trails are better with company. I’ve seen some of the deepest conversations unfold at mile three.
43. Be the first to say “thank you.”
44. Find work you believe in, but don’t let it define you.
45. Love is the legacy worth leaving.
46. Don’t compare. Contentment is wealth.
47. Your words can build or break. Choose to build. Always.
48. A long hug can mend a broken heart. I’ve felt that healing in the arms of family.
49. Keep learning, keep growing. Continuous improvement matters. Even the smallest step forward is still forward.
50. Tradition ties generations together, especially if that tradition involves an old family recipe that takes hours and lots of teamwork to make.
51. Tell stories. Your family needs them. Stories pass down more than facts. They carry history and identity.
52. Choose wonder over cynicism.
53. You can’t outgive God, but you can follow His example.
54. Every season has its beauty. Even Oklahoma summers with their heat and humidity have sunsets worth pausing for (clearly I appreciate sunrises and sunsets).
55. Be present. Tomorrow isn’t promised.
56. Family trust is sacred. Break it once, and it may never return the same. Protect it as carefully as you protect your home.
57. Celebrate the small wins. A child’s smile, a project finished, or a quiet evening with family. Cherish these moments.
58. Joy often hides in the small, ordinary things.
59. Life is a gift. At every age, unwrap it with wonder.

4 Bonus Lessons (which means I came up with four more that I didn’t want to exclude)

60. Adapt or be left behind. If you’re the best buggy whip maker, prepare to adapt when automobiles come out. Don’t cling to the past so tightly that you miss the future.
61. The quiet miracle of savings and compound interest. Einstein was right. Compound interest is the most amazing thing. Steadily and quietly setting aside a portion of your income builds your wealth over time. It also provides peace of mind and freedom for your future self.
62. Learn outside your lane. Take time to study things that don’t seem connected to your work. The most important lessons often come from entirely different fields.
63. Travel opens two windows. When you visit a new country, you learn about their culture, their food, their people. But you also return seeing your own home differently…with gratitude, with perspective, and with fresh eyes.

Photo by Mantas Hesthaven on Unsplash