Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Rules for a Perfect Day

I found this gem while cleaning the other day. This is a list my great-grandmother, my father's grandmother, Gertrude, made. I don't know how old she was, she was born in September 1886 and died in 1980, when she wrote it. I suppose when she wrote it doesn't matter, it is timeless.
I don't remember much about her. In my child's mind, she was the really old woman in the nursing home. This lets my adult mind get a glimpse of the life she led and the strong and wise woman she was. -enjoy

Rules for a Perfect Day
  1. I will try to live through the day only and not try to tackle my whole life problem at once.
  2. I will be happy. It is true that people are as happy as they make up their minds to be. Happiness is from within.
  3. I will adjust myself to what is and not try to adjust everybody to my desires. I will take my family, my business and my luck, as they come and fit myself to them.
  4. I will take care of my body. I will exercise it, nourish it, and not abuse or neglect it, so that it will be a perfect machine for my will.
  5. I will try to strengthen my mind. I will study. I will not be a mental loafer all day. I will read something that requires mental effort and concentration.
  6. I will exercise my soul in three ways, to wit: I will do somebody a good turn and not be found out; I will do at least two things I do not want to do; and I will not show anyone that my feelings are hurt. They may be hurt, but I will not show it.
  7. I will be agreeable. I will look as well as I can, talk low, act courteously, be liberal with flattery, find fault with nothing - and try not to regulate or improve anybody.
  8. I will have a program. It will save me from two human weaknesses - hurry and indecision.
  9. I will have a half-hour to myself and relax. In this half-hour, sometime, I will think of God, so as to give a better perspective to my life.
  10. I will be unafraid. Especially, I will not be afraid to be happy, to enjoy what is beautiful, to love, and to believe those that I love, love me.

As part of my 2009 goals, I will try to have a few more "perfect days".

4 comments:

alisa said...

I soooo needed that today! Thanks for sharing friend! I just love ya and I am so thankful for your friendship!

Erin said...

i love this! thanks for posting it. i wish i had known gertrude, based on this she sounds like an awesome lady!

jen said...

Do you have the original written copy of this? I'd love to make a photocopy. She sounds pretty smart!

Anne Dixon said...

I hate to break it to you, but i think she copied this from somewhere, because i have read these exact words before :-)
Allthough, her own or not, they are still worth while...