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Wednesday, May 13, 2015 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
of a certain age...
By diane goble
Columnist
My oldest grandson, who
will turn 16 in a few weeks,
drove me and his mother/my
daughter to a DMV last week
so he could take his driver’s
test (He passed!).
I can’t believe a grand-
child of mine is turning 16!
Pretty soon he’ll be off to
college, getting married,
and I’ll be cuddling my first
great-grandchild. Great-
grandchild! Wow! The sev-
enth generation of people
I’ve been with during parts of
my life, having known three
of my great-grandparents
who lived into their 90s.
H o p efu l l y o v er m y
70-plus years, I’ve gained
some wisdom I can pass
down to this younger gen-
eration to help them simplify
their lives, save them some
money, boost their health and
help the planet. Here’s my
Top Ten List of Habits You
Should Pickup from Your
Grandmother:
1. Make lists. Depending
on how busy you are, keep
a daily, weekly or monthly
TO-DO LIST. Print it out,
check completed items off,
revise as needed. Use Post-
it notes on your computer
screen, bathroom mirror,
refrigerator, front door, car
dashboard, cell phone as
reminders you can’t miss.
Keep a calendar on your
computer and phone. Make
a list of your passwords
(keep on desktop and print
out hardcopy to include with
important papers).
2. Take a walk every day.
The exercise is good for your
muscles, good for your heart,
your lungs, your circulation,
your digestion. It’s good for
your mind, to clear your head,
to expand your awareness,
become one with nature. The
color sky-blue lifts our spir-
its. The sunshine fills us with
vitamin D. Wear a hat, use
sunscreen. If you can’t walk
outside, walk inside. Do tai
chi, qigong, yoga.
3. Cook from scratch, eat
less meat, cut out white sugar
and flour, stay away from
processed foods, cut out junk
foods and fast foods, support
your local farmers, grow a
garden, donate to local food
banks, create a family cook-
book, teach your children and
grandchildren how to cook,
have meals with your family.
4. Meditate every day.
This doesn’t mean you have
to twist into lotus posture
and sit for hours trying to
achieve enlightenment. Just
sit quietly and focus on one
thing, one word or sound. Put
on headphones and listen to
soft, peaceful music. Stare
off into the night sky or the
flames in the fireplace or a
candle. Allow your thoughts
to drift without paying atten-
tion to them. Draw a picture.
Knit a scarf. Read a book.
Walk around a labyrinth very
slowly, take time to observe
every rock, every plant, every
insect. Listen to the birds.
Breathe. All of that is medita-
tion to allow a few minutes of
peace of mind into your busy
life.
5. Pay it forward. Be kind
and compassionate. Express
gratitude. Practice forgive-
ness. Get involved. Donate
your time and energy and
ideas to help others, support
a cause. Encourage young
people to think positively by
being a positive role model.
Lift others up.
6. Save energy and water
whenever you can. Be mind-
ful of what’s happening to the
planet by over-consumption,
waste, plastic, neglect, short-
sightedness and greed. Learn
from the mistakes of the past
and don’t repeat them.
7. Use more natural prod-
ucts for cleaning your house
and your body. Stop pouring
corrosive products down the
drain and into the water sup-
ply. Before we had all these
super cleaning products, our
grandmothers used vinegar,
baking soda, salt and lemon,
and if a child accidentally
got some in her mouth, you
didn’t have to call the poison
control hotline. Go online
and search “how to clean
with vinegar or lemons” and
get creative. Compost your
trash. Become more environ-
mentally conscious, save the
planet.
8. Don’t just buy more
new stuff so you need more
places to store your old stuff.
Make money that works for
you instead of you working
for it. Don’t be a slave to the
status quo. Know when to
hold ’em, know when to walk
away.
9. Have a plan. Your ship
can’t come in if it hasn’t set
sail. Short-term, long-term,
for today or the next 10 years.
Learn from what your par-
ents’ generation went through
during their lives, what your
grandparents and those
before them went through as
their lives unfolded. Those
who don’t learn from his-
tory are doomed to repeat
it. Learn to solve problems
peacefully. Don’t go to bed
angry. Imagine peace.
10. Realize that we are all
one. All things whatsoever
ye would that men should do
unto you, do ye even so to
them. What is hateful to you,
do not to your fellow man.
Hurt not others in ways that
you yourself would find hurt-
ful. None of you is a believer
until he desires for his brother
that which he desires for him-
self. Do not unto others what
you would not have them do
unto you.
The Nugget Newspaper Crossword
By Jacqueline E. Mathews, Tribune News Service
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