Wholesome Advice

If I could offer you only one tip for the future,

sunscreen would be it.

The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists

whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable

than my own meandering experience.

I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth.

Oh never mind,

you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth

until they have faded.

But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself

and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you

and how fabulous you really looked.

You’re not as fat as you imagine.

Don’t worry about the future or worry,

but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation

by chewing bubblegum.

The real troubles in your life are apt to be things

that never crossed your worried mind,

the kind that blindside you

at 4 PM on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing everyday that scares you.

Sing.

Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts.

Don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Floss.

Don’t waste your time on jealousy.

Sometimes you’re ahead.

Sometimes you’re behind

The race is long and in the end,

it’s only with yourself.

Remember the compliments you receive.

Forget the insults.

If you succeed in doing this,

tell me how.

Keep your old love letters.

Throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch.

Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life.

The most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives.

Some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t.

Get plenty of calcium.

Be kind to your knees.

You’ll miss them when they’re gone.

Maybe you’ll marry,

maybe you won’t,

maybe you’ll have children,

maybe you won’t,

maybe you’ll divorce at 40,

maybe you’ll dance the funky chicken

on your 75th wedding anniversary.

Whatever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much

or berate yourself either –

your choices are half chance,

so are everybody else’s.

Enjoy your body, use it every way you can.

Don’t be afraid of it or what other people think of it.

It’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own.

Dance.

Even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.

Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them.

Do not read beauty magazines.

They will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents.

You never know when they’ll be gone for good.

Be nice to your siblings.

They are the best link to your past

and the people most likely to stick with you

in the future.

Understand that friends come and go,

but for the precious few you should hold on.

Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle

because the older you get,

the more you need the people you knew

when you were young.

Live in New York City once,

but leave before it makes you hard.

Live in Northern California once,

but leave before it makes you soft.

Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths.

Prices will rise

Politicians will philander

You too will get old

And when you do

You’ll fantasize that when you were young

Prices were reasonable

Politicians were noble

and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don’t expect anyone else to support you.

Maybe you have a trust fund,

maybe you have a wealthy spouse.

But you never know when either one might run out.

Don’t mess too much with your hair,

or by the time you're 40,

it will look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy,

but be patient with those who supply it.

Advice is a form of nostalgia,

dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal,

wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts

and recycling it for more than it’s worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen.

at 8:30 AM