What advice I can share, is simply the result of my own meandering experience through life. You can take it as seriously, or as lightly as you want to. I shall share that advice now.

Always appreciate what you have, no matter how little it may seem to you. In 20 years, you may well look back at photos of yourself, and recall in a way that is incomprehensible to you know just how much possibility lay before you at the time, and just how fabulous you really look.

Get to know your parent’s well, you never know when they might be gone for good. I know I didn’t. Be kind to your brothers and sister, they’re the ones most likely to stick by you in the future and they’re the best link you have to your past.

Know that friends will always come and go through life, save those precious few that you should hold on to, just like they will hold onto you.

Don’t worry about the future, because the real problems in your life won’t be anything that ever crossed your worried mind, instead they will be the kind of things that come out of nowhere on some quiet Thursday.

Live life to the fullest that you can, do one thing every day that scares you a little. Don’t be careless with the hearts of those that love you, and never put up with anyone that is careless with yours.

Your body is the most incredible instrument you will ever own, use it every way that you can, enjoy it, don’t be afraid of it or what other people might think of it. Dance, even if you can only do it in your own living room.

Maybe you’ll marry the love of your life, maybe you won’t. Maybe you’ll have children, maybe you won’t. Maybe you’ll live to dance at your 75^th wedding anniversary, maybe you’ll divorce at 30. Whatever you do end up doing in life, don’t berate yourself too much, but don’t congratulate yourself too much either. Every choice you make in life is half-chance, just like everybody else’s.

Accept certain undeniable truths of life. The prices will rise, politicians will always philander, and you too will grow old. And when you do, you will fantasize back to when you were younger and tell stories of a time where prices are reasonable, politicians were honest and children always respected their elders. On that note, respect your elders.

Don’t waste time being jealous, some people are ahead of you, and some people are behind. Life is a long race, and in the end, you’re only running against yourself. Remember all the compliments that people pay you, and forget all the insults. If you successfully do that, let me know how.

If you don’t know what you want to do with your life when you’re leaving school, don’t feel guilty. Some of the most interesting people are those who don’t know what they want to do in life.

Try your hardest to bridge the gaps that you meet in geography and culture, especially in the world we live in now. The older you get, the more you will need the people that you knew when you were young. Live in the city, but leave before it makes you too hard. Live on the beach, but leave before it makes you too soft.

[Courtesy of my dear friend James]