Advice from a small town girl

Lately I’ve been thinking about what advice the old me (that is, the me I am today) would give the young me.

The first thing that popped into my head was, “Don’t wear shoes that hurt your feet.”

Right after that came, “Don’t wear shoes that make you walk funny.”

And right after that came, “Why would I listen to the old me when I wouldn’t listen to my parents?”

I’ll admit, I have an obsession with shoes. So did my mother. It may be because, shaped the way I am, the only clothes that fit right are shoes.

Bummer.

But I wish I had known at sixteen what I know now.

You know those shoes that we think make us look fashionable, popular, irresistible when we’re young?

They’re going to make us pay later.

Believe me, I speak from experience.

There are other words of wisdom I would share with the young me.

Such as, “If there’s something you really, really don’t want to do, do it NOW.” Don’t wait until tomorrow, because, as I’ve finally (I think) learned, tomorrow never comes. And that task that you’ve put off will still be there, waiting. If you do it now, you rob it of its power to affect not just your today, but your tomorrow. By placing it firmly in yesterday.

I’m not sure if it is my procrastinator’s heart or my dreamer’s head that has turned today into such a wasteland.

It doesn’t really matter.

What does matter is that I make some attempt to reclaim it.

In the process of planning this column (if it can be said that I plan them) I ran across several versions of a poem called “Just for Today.” There appear to be many versions, and I am including one of them here.

JUST FOR TODAY, I will live through this day only. I will not brood about yesterday or obsess about tomorrow. I will not set far-reaching goals or try to overcome all of my problems at once. I know that I can do something for 24 hours that would overwhelm me if I had to keep it up for a lifetime.

JUST FOR TODAY, I will be happy. I will not dwell on thoughts that depress me. If my mind fills with clouds, I will chase them away and fill it with sunshine.

JUST FOR TODAY, I will accept what is. I will face reality. I will correct those things I can correct and accept those I cannot.

JUST FOR TODAY, I will improve my mind. I will read something that requires effort, thought and concentration. I will not be a mental loafer.

JUST FOR TODAY, I will make a conscious effort to be agreeable. I will be kind and courteous to those who cross my path, and I'll not speak ill of others. I will improve my appearance, speak softly, and not interrupt when someone else is talking.

JUST FOR TODAY, I will refrain from improving anybody but myself.

JUST FOR TODAY, I will do something positive to improve my health. If I'm a smoker, I'll quit. If I am overweight, I will eat healthfully – if only just for today. And not only that: I will get off the couch and take a brisk walk, even if it’s only around the block.

JUST FOR TODAY, I will gather the courage to do what is right and take responsibility for my own actions.

I think I’ll frame a copy and put it up next to my bathroom mirror.

Tomorrow.

Lise Ott is an Odessa business owner who contributes a weekly column to The Odessa Record.