10/17/2007 – Editorials

Age 5: I’ve learned that I like my teacher because she cries when we sing "Silent Night."

Age 7: I’ve learned that our dog doesn’t want to eat my broccoli either.

Age 9: I’ve learned that when I wave to people in the country, they stop what they are doing and wave back.

Age 12: I’ve learned that just when I get my room the way I like it, Mom makes me clean it up again.

Age 14: I’ve learned that if you want to cheer yourself up, you should try cheering up someone else.

Age 15: I’ve learned that although it’s hard to admit it, I’m secretly glad my parents are strict with me.

Age 24: I’ve learned that silent company is often more healing than words of advice.

Age 26: I’ve learned that brushing my child’s hair is one of life’s great pleasures.

Age 29: I’ve learned that wherever I go, the world’s worst drivers have followed me there.

Age 30: I’ve learned that if someone says something unkind about me, I must live so that no one will believe it.

Age 42: I’ve learned that there are people who love you dearly but just don’t know how to show it.

Age 44: I’ve learned that you can make someone’s day by simply sending a little note.

Age 46: I’ve learned that the greater a person’s sense of guilt, the greater his or her need to cast blame on others.

Age 47: I’ve learned that children and grandparents are natural allies.

Age 48: I’ve learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.

Age 49: I’ve learned that singing "Amazing Grace" can lift my spirits for hours.

Age 50: I’ve learned that motel mattresses are better on the side away from the phone.

Age 51: I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a man by the way he handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage and tangled Christmas tree lights.

Age 52: I’ve learned that keeping a vegetable garden is worth a medicine cabinet full of pills.

Age 53: I’ve learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you miss them terribly after they die.

Age 58: I’ve learned that making a living is not the same thing as making a life.

Age 61: I’ve learned that if you want to do something positive for your children, work to improve your marriage.

Age 62: I’ve learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.

Age 64: I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back.

Age 65: I’ve learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you.

But if you focus on your family, the needs of others, your work, meeting new people, and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you.

Age 66: I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with kindness, I usually make the right decision.

Age 72: I’ve learned that everyone can use a prayer.

Age 82: I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one.

Age 90: I’ve learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love that human touch — holding hands, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.

Age 91: I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.

Age 92: I’ve learned that you should pass this one on to people you care about. Sometimes they just need a little something to make them smile.

—000—

Most of us take a summons for jury duty seriously, but enough people skip out on their civic duty that a new and ominous kind of scam has surfaced. The caller claims to be a jury coordinator. If you protest that you never received a summons for jury duty, the scammer asks you for your Social Security number and date of birth so he or she can verify the information and cancel the arrest warrant.

Give out any of this information and bingo! Your identity just got stolen. The scam is particularly insidious because they use intimidation over the phone to try to bully people into giving information by pretending they’re with the court system. The FBI and the federal court system have issued nationwide alerts on their Web sites, warning consumers about the fraud.