My longtime friend S.L. Frisbie, IV, of Bartow, FL, and his family were involved in the newspaper business in the Polk County area for 4-generations.
S.L. was Owner/Editor of The Polk County Democrat for over 40-years. He and his devoted wife, Mary, retired several years ago but S.L. continues to write columns. I regularly read them.
I found a recent one entitled Wisdom at 74 to be particularly interesting ... so ... I got his permission to publish it here.
So ... here it is, in its entirety, with no editing etc.
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Wisdom at 74
Tomorrow, my personal odometer turns over to 74 years of age.
One year ago, I wrote a column of random observations made from the vantage point of my first 73 years.
Here are more to add with the approach of a 74th, with a couple of the most important picked up from last year.
• Watching football on Sunday afternoon is less important than taking a nap. You can find out the score when you wake up.
• Don’t put off the stuff you want to do when you retire. Your bucket list might last longer than you do.
• Retirement is the best job you’ll ever have. You become an expert the first day, and you get better at it every day.
• The older you get, the more people will address you by your last name (as in Mr. Frisbie) and the fewer you will be able to call by name. Don’t worry about it.
• There is no way the Earth was created by some cataclysmic cosmic coincidence.
• When friends need prayers, pray for them, and tell them you are praying for them. When you need prayers, ask friends to pray for you. Prayer works.
• Fish tacos taste better than the name suggests. Try ’em.
• Use handrails.
• Be skeptical of bizarre political screed that you get on the Internet, especially the stuff that “you won’t read in the lamestream media.” The stuff that’s true was published six months ago; the rest of it is a bunch of hooey.
• “Must read” stuff that comes by email isn’t. Ignore it. And for gosh sake, don’t forward it.
• It’s okay to drive within the speed limit, even on the Interstates. In fact, the older you get, the smarter it is.
• An occasional “damn” or “hell” is OK, but don’t take God’s name in vain. Ever.
• Smile at strangers; some of them really need it, and the rest will appreciate it.
• If somebody is wearing a name tag, address them by name.
• Courtesy costs nothing; rudeness costs a lot.
• Recharge your cellphone every day.
• Never post anything — words or pictures — on the Internet that you wouldn’t want to be seen by your spouse, your children, your employer, or your competitor. Or the NSA.
• The older you get, the more people will offer help, whether it is with taking your purchases to the car, getting up off a soft sofa, or negotiating a steep flight of steps. It’s OK to accept the offers.
• Make it your objective always to do the right thing. No, you won’t always succeed, but you will make the world a better place for your effort.
• Strive to be so special to your grandchildren that some day they will tell their own grandchildren their memories of you.
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(S. L. Frisbie is retired. His capacity to offer advice vastly exceeds the desire of most people to receive it. If you read this one all the way through, he thanks you.)
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Thanks, S.L., for the good advice.
The website for the article is:
Oh ... forgot to mention ... he does have one very serious character flaw ... he is an FSU graduate and an avid ‘Noles fan/supporter.
GO GATORS!!
Billi Pod
“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”
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