Advice to Live By

I was at our Discussion Group's (blog post) holiday meeting, our topic, taken from a son's boarding school application for a PG year:  What is the most important piece of advice you have ever received and what role does it play in your life?

Needless to say, the answers from each of the women sparked all kinds of thoughts and discussion. The common thread? How we implemented that advice in our lives and in most cases, our parenting Gen Y.

Pieces of advice:

Lose the battle and win the war. (Given by my father right before I got married.) It's turned out to be very good advice in just about every aspect of life.

When you accept an invitation, any invitation, be prepared to give as much or more than you receive at the "event." (Given by a friend of her parents, when she was a teenager and hurumphing about "having to go to a family friend's house for a holiday party.") Two things: was "heard" because it was given by a NON-parent, but someone she respected and she can't think of any place she's attended as a guest when she hasn't thought of that advice prior to arrival.

Since the probability of you meeting someone to marry at college is high, we will only allow you to apply within the Northeast. (Unspoken: the parents (advice givers) lived in CT.) How she followed the advice? Did the exact opposite with each of their four children! "The world is your oyster, apply wherever you want and we support you!" As a result her children are married and live in OR, CA, CO and ME! 

 When you move to a new place, in the first year, accept every invitation. Tough to do, because you have to be "on" all the time, but if you do, you will reap the rewards in the years following. You never know who you might meet regardless of what you may think of the host/hostess. Could be friends for a lifetime!

~Beppie