Sunbonnet Soliloquy

By Jewell Ellen Smith

Jefferson’s Rules for Living

Here we go again -- into another year.

Without asking our permission, the earth is whizzing its way along, bent on going around the sun again in 365 days, and, as usual, whirling itself completely over once each 24 hours. For thus the years and days are made for us -- automatically.

It’s a good thing it is automatic.

Suppose we had to worry about starting and stopping the world and keeping it on its course and adjusting its speed! We would goof it all up. It is best that all we have to do is figure out how to use the years and days as they come.

But even that is not easy.

It takes patience and wisdom and caution and determination and self discipline and courage and faith -- and heaven only knows what all else -- to know how to live a good year and how to spend each day wisely.

I still don’t know how to deal with a new year when it arrives, even though new years have come for me a good sixty times now. Nor can I cope with all the days that pass by.

This year, though, I’ve decided that the ten rules for living the good life as set down by Thomas Jefferson might be worth a try.

Here is his list:

1. Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.

2. Never trouble another for what you can do yourself.

3. Never spend money you don’t have.

4. Never buy what you don’t need.

5. Pride costs more than hunger.

6. Never repent of having eaten too little.

7. Nothing is troublesome that we do willingly.

8. Don’t worry about what hasn’t happened.

9. Take things by the smooth handle.

10. When angry, count to 10; very angry, count to 100.

If these Jefferson guidelines don’t make 1982 a good year, why, next January, I’ll be searching for a better list.

Published January 1982. Click your browser’s ‘Back’ key to return.