WORDS TO LIVE BY

In the September 29 "Time" magazine, Kristin Van Ogtrop had some good, if a little unusual, advice for kids who may be struggling with Common Core standards and their dream of college.

She first addresses the parents:"These will not help your kids get into college, but they will make them better people."

She followed with a message to the kids. "You need to be able to do the following in order to get your high school diploma."

1. Write a letter. An actual letter that does not begin with
    "Hey" and is written, in handwriting, on real paper.

2. Learn to cook a good meal that can feed the entire
    family - - -  One nice chicken roasted on a bed of
    vegetables might even provide leftovers.

3. Hold down an unpleasant job that makes you hate
    your parents a little bit because they won't let you quit.

4. Go somewhere for the weekend without your phone,
    just so you know what it feels like to be in solitary
    confinement, or dying.

5. Every time you get a new toy or gadget, give an old
    toy or gadget away to someone who doesn't get new
    things as often as you do.

6. Take care of someone or something other than
    yourself. A pet does nicely here. And if it's a dog,
    learn to brush your dog far enough from the back
    door that the hair does not all come  whooshing
    (love that word) back in when you are finished..

    (She admits she did that.)

7. Write a heartfelt thank you note to someone
    over the age of 70. Even if this person hasn't
    given you a holiday or birthday present, find
    something to thank them for.

8. Read a book for pleasure. If you start one and
    hate it on page 50,find another one. Repeat it as
    needed until you find a book you really love.

9. Do something nice for a neighbor without
    expecting any credit for it.Rake the leaves,
    shovel the walk, put the newspaper on the
    front step if it landed in the middle of the
    driveway. Keep your identiy here secret.

10. Don't race to the top. Never race to the top.
      If you want to aim for the top, good for you.
      But try to get there slowly, deliberately,
     without knocking everyone else out of the
      way. or missing the beautiful view.

Words to live by.

Good for adults as well.