Editor’s note: This article was first published in December 2014. The word “today” and the man’s age (99) refer to December 2014.
Macy Williams, a regular editor at the well-known magazine Popsugar, decided to share the advice and life lessons of her great-grandfather, a 99-year-old man who is still full of life.
She explains that her great-grandfather met her great-grandmother on a Saturday, and by the following Saturday they were married. They stayed together for 67 years, until her great-grandmother died. In those 67 years they had two children and adopted another.
Her great-grandfather didn’t go to college, but he had a successful career, reaching the top of the company he devoted his life to as Safeway’s corporate dairy manager for the whole country. And we certainly like listening to older people who have lived life with passion.
(Read: 6 life secrets we can learn from those who have lived the longest)
For anyone wondering what this 99-year-old is up to these days, according to his great-granddaughter he rides around on a motorised scooter (with handlebars), passing the time and thinking about what he’ll do when he starts to get old.
Here are the 20 life lessons he has passed on to his great-granddaughter.
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Always keep a good sense of humour.
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Exercise every day, even when you don’t feel like it.
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Don’t spend more money than you earn.
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Drink orange juice every day.
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Love at first sight is not a fairy tale.
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Having a bad job is better than having no job at all.
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Use common sense. Think of the most reasonable answer for each situation. If you don’t have common sense, you’re a failure.
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Family is the most precious thing you will ever have in life.
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Your life is delicate, and if you neglect yourself, it will fall apart.
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Never be afraid of your true self.
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Everyone has too many clothes. Wear what you have and stop buying more.
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You must be able to forgive, even when it’s hard to do.
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Save your money now so you can reap it later.
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Love isn’t always easy. Sometimes you have to work hard at it.
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Find something funny in every single situation.
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If you face a problem, don’t waste time before trying to solve it, but if there’s no way to solve it, you have to forget about it.
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Make sure you’re doing what you love. Don’t be afraid to follow the dreams you have for yourself.
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Education is important, but it isn’t necessary. Life can be an education in itself.
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Try not to take some things so seriously.
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Life is a gift you have to unwrap. It’s up to you to decide whether what’s inside will lead you to happiness or to discouragement. You have the power to make that decision for yourself.
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