Words of advice for the young..and young @ heart!

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me...It is the most-requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone...

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret,you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19.. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's,we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come.

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

Good News!!!!

We got good news today....

About a month ago, Jeremy and I started to look for an apartment to move into once we get married. We were temped to stay in my current apartment, but thought that with it being a renters market, we should at least check out what was available. Now, don't get me wrong - there are some beautiful apartments in Santa Monica that would be great....and most are going for lower rates than in the past. However....none compare to what my dear friend Katie has labeld, the "Magic Wizard Mansion" that is my current apartment....and she is right.

Every time Jeremy and I returned from looking at apartments, we'd walk into my place....with it's bright, big living room and two equally large bedrooms....and we would just sigh at the thought of leaving it all behind. At one point Jeremy walked through the dining room to the kitchen and said, "hey, it actually took me a little while to get in here" - in contrast to the places we'd seen, where you could probably get a drink out the of the fridge without leaving the couch.

Jeremy and I really want to have a place where we can entertain a lot and invite people to stay with us when they're passing through town. While we could save a little bit of money by down-sizing to a one-bedroom, we wouldn't have the space to host the kinds of company we'd love to keep. Additionally, we'd have to pack up the entire place at the end of this month and figure out how to fit everything into what was starting to look like 800-900 square feet (at most).

On the contrary, a two bedroom place would allow us to have an office/guest room/play room that can be used for all sorts of things....while also leaving plenty of room in the dining room, living room and other bedroom for everything else! Plus, the neighbors are wonderful, we have a little shared back yard, and the community is fantastic!!!! In addition, eliminating the stress of a major move started to look more and more appealing as the days went on.

So last week, Jeremy submitted his paperwork to get approved to be on the lease....and I worked at negotiating a lower rent per month and a smaller security deposit (since after four years, they know I'm a good tenant). While we haven't officially signed any new paperwork, I spoke to the manager this morning (who conveniently lives downstairs) and she joyfully told me that they would agree to all our terms and that they would love us to stay!!!

I was just so elated to hear this news - and I was thankful and humbled at the landlord's generosity in making this transition for us more managable!!! Lauren, my current "flatmate" as she would say...will move out at the end of this month, and we'll have all of June to get the place cleaned and updated to suit our married life. Jeremy will have the chance to move his things in gradually, and we'll really get to make the place our own together.

I can't tell you how thankful I am to God for orchestrating this and for giving us favor with the people involved. I just feel so blessed and overwhelemed!!! I'm not only excited to set up a new home with my man, but I'm SUPER excited that I don't have to pack my life into boxes in the next two weeks!!!!

So yeah.....perhaps in July, a housewarming extravaganza will be in order...but until then, I'll just celebrate how good God is in the way that he takes care of his kids!!!!