I am so excited to make this announcement: I will be 60 next week!

Age is truly a gift, and I am not one to miss out on gifts and celebrations. I am celebrating before, during and after, and my hope is that if you are not doing the same on your birthday, you will start.

Collectively, then, Gail, Suzanne and I have 181 years of living shared between us, and that makes for many opportunities to gather wisdom. So, that is just what we have done for you.

Yes, age can bring us down with its accompanying aches and pains, afflictions and maladies, but none of us are willing to go back to any previous age–aging is that good.

So, no matter your age, embrace it, share your wisdom and please accept ours. I’ll go first:

*Spring always springs, indicating that I survived yet another winter, my least favorite season. The best birthday gift I get every year is from Mother Nature herself, she makes sure the green leaves are hung in time for my big day. Summer, my favorite season does always end, and I survive until the next one. Complaining doesn’t help. Gail and Suzanne embrace the weather whatever it is, and I am trying to learn from them.

*Speaking of summer, bananas always rot faster in the summer. And speaking of fruit, if you leave a half-eaten apple in your car (except during the summer), you can finish eating it the next day and you won’t die. Suzanne thinks it’s gross, but I am living proof. I refuse to waste food.

*And speaking of your gut, listen to it and go with it, even if you can’t explain why.

*I’m sorry are two of the most beautiful words in our language when used together.

*Our language is so strange. We talk about a sunny day and a starry night, but never a moony night. No matter what kind of night it is, sleep is underrated by most people. Not me. Make sure you get enough, even if Gail doesn’t.

*Turns out that new pair of shoes won’t bring lifelong fulfillment.

*We never know why people might act the way they do. Perhaps their parents just died and we don’t know that.

*Just because someone is upset with you doesn’t mean you did something wrong.

*Because we’ve always done it that way is a pretty good reason to consider doing it a different way.

*You can make more money, but you can’t make more time. The corollary to that, courtesy of Suzanne, is this: All that stuff used to be money and all that money used to be time. Ka-pow between the eyes on that one—thanks, Suzanne!

*Fly your weird flag if you have one. Nobody else is uniquely you.

*Find that thing that makes your soul sing and do it. A good gauge is if you lose track of time doing it, then it’s probably your thing.

*Life can be really sucky sometimes, but it is mostly good if you keep you feelers out for the good.

*If you have your health, or enough of it to enjoy life, you have been given a gift. Open it every day.

*If you have the desire, your health as mentioned above, the time and the money, go to those places you want to travel to. You may not be able to later.

*Loved ones die, but love remains. Lean on others to get through. That’s how we did it.

*Most of the things we worry about never happen. Prayer and worry cancel each other out, so choose prayer.

*Fair comes once a year and it’s already come and gone. It’s where you get cotton candy and ride the rides. Life’s not fair, so suck it up and move on.

*Good or bad, what you focus on increases.

*It’s okay to jump on the bed in your hotel room when you are traveling with your sisters.

Suzanne now offers her succinct wisdom:

*To share some excellent advice from our infinitely wise mother, when you’re having trouble deciding if you should do something, imagine you did it and how do you feel? Or, imagine you didn’t do it and how do you feel? I’m not saying I was ever smart enough to follow this until my later years, but it’s a great idea.

*No matter how much you want your parents to NOT be right, they usually are.

Here’s Gail:

*If you are wrong, admit it. Then people have nothing to hold against you. Take the high road.

*Stress only happens if you let it.

*Always have something to look forward to–thanks Mom!

*Do your own thing. In response to, “My friends get to do X, why can’t I?” Mom used to say, “If everyone else was jumping off a cliff, would you?”

*Never switch drivers while driving down the road.

*Don’t stay out too late. If you do, don’t get caught. I learned this from being grounded several times.

*Take time for yourself and do what YOU want to do.

*If you like coffee, drink plenty of it.

*Spread good energy. It just might make someone’s day!

*Don’t let your age define you.

*Who says you have to retire?

Happy Birthday to me!

Happy Birthday to you, whenever it is!