I know that many members of the Young Minds in Fellowship Group think that I often act younger than they do, but to tell the truth, I have been feeling old lately. Ever since my fall at the end of the summer, which was followed quickly by our collective national trauma and my gall bladder surgery, I have not been feeling as chipper and energetic as I would like. I think it is largely prolonged low level stress but there are days I feel that I have aged ten years in the last year or so. I have also been depressed about some extra weight I put on over the holidays which also makes it harder to be mobile. In general, I was having quite a pity party for myself recently. Then one day I came across an email that drew me up short. It offered ten points for staying young at heart even as the years creep up on you. It perked me up a lot so I thought I would pass it along for this month's column.

1. Throw out the nonessential numbers. This includes age, height and weight unless the weight is life threatening.
2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.
3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never leave the brain idle. Remember the old adage "an idle mind is the devil's workshop."
4. Enjoy the simple things. When the children are young, that is all you can afford. When they are in college, that is all you can afford. When you are on retirement, that is all that you can afford!
5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath. Laugh so much that you can be tracked in the store by your distinctive laughter.
6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve and move on. The only person who is with us for our entire lives is ourselves. Be alive while you are alive, don't put out a mailbox on the highway of death and just wait in residence for your mail.
7. Cherish your health. If your health is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If its beyond what you can improve, get help.
8. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it is family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.
9. Don't take guilt trips. Go to the mall, the next county, a foreign country, but not to guilt country.
10. Tell the people you love, that you love them, at every opportunity. Life isn't measured by the number of breaths you take but by the moments that take your breath away.