Things I Know For Sure

When I was 18, I knew a lot more than I do now, nearly 30 years later. I hadn’t made any mistakes yet or dealt with any difficult situations. But life and its joys, experiences, trials, and difficult circumstances have taught me that I really don’t know very much of which I am certain. Here is my “Things I Know For Sure” list. If it sounds preachy, please know that I am preaching to myself. I purposely left out religious convictions, though I have some which I hold near and dear to my heart. But they are things I can’t prove to anyone else in a literal, tangible sense. I leave them to others to find out for themselves. Come have a personal conversation with me for that topic. :-)

Kathleen Holmes Compton May 2, 2011

Things I Know For Sure

1. We only have control over our own actions, not anyone else’s.

2. Self-pity is useless, destructive, and, therefore, selfish.

3. We are often the answer to other people’s prayers.

4. Only Love is real. (I didn’t make this one up. It’s the title of a book by Brian Weiss.)

5. We reap what we sow, also known as Karma. Some things happen to us because we have a debt to pay and a good attitude is key to discharging said debts. (see #2)

6. If I died tomorrow, two things would be important to me; (1) relationships with those I love and (2) the level and quality of knowledge I gained.

7. Kindness matters; the same is true for unkindness. They both have a ripple effect. (see #5)

8. When you feel down, counting your blessings will bring you back up.

9. There can be no real joy in life without gratitude. If it’s not in your nature to feel gratitude, practice every day.

10. Everything puts out a vibration, including words, thoughts, and feelings. (All atoms are protons with spinning electrons, even rocks. See the research of Masaru Emoto on water crystals.) You can make your environment brilliant and full of light.

11. Eat your carbs before 2 pm. You’re gonna have to trust me on this one :-). It DOES say “things I know for sure” at the top. (Okay, okay, I’ll temper this one with ‘if you’re a woman and in my age bracket or above’.)

12. “Jealous friend”, “critical friend”, “insensitive, demanding friend” or similar variations are oxymorons. Be kind and civil but direct your energy instead toward those who love you easily.

13. Any time you compare yourself to others, it is a form of jealousy; if, when you are doing this comparing, you think you are better in some way, it is pride. If you think the other person is better (smarter, prettier, luckier, etc.), it is envy. These comparisons and the emotions that accompany them are ALWAYS destructive in the long run. They are also universal so don’t kid yourself that you don’t feel jealousy, envy or pride at times. Knowledge is the first step in overcoming the temptation to indulge. I’m going to try to stop going there, but old habits die hard.

That’s all I know for sure at the moment. But life will teach me more and I will add to my list later. kathleen