darby’s fifty for fifty
In case you didn’t yet know, Darby’s 50th birthday was last week! So, I thought it’d be fun to have her write down 50 things she’s learned along the way…things that she’d tell her younger self if she could. Darby is originally from Virginia Beach, attended William & Mary undergrad, and has co-owned Kiskadee for the past eight years with business partner and friend, Neil Hall. For anyone who is lucky enough to know Darby, you have experienced her positivity and sunny disposition first-hand. I am grateful to consider her a friend, and will carry her words of wisdom with me everywhere I go!
Without further ado, Darby’s Fifty for Fifty.
1. Time goes by fast…it really does!
2. College is the fastest 4 years there ever are.
3. Be friends with your husband.
4. Try and remember everyone is doing the best they can.
5. Laugh. A lot.
6. Take walks.
7. Say your prayers.
8. Be thankful.
9. Give thanks.
10. It’s hard to give up a bad habit the older you get, but you can do it!
11. Enjoy your parents and grandparents while they are here and healthy.
12. It’s okay to ask for help…we all need it at some point.
13. Give a hug to someone who needs one, even if you don’t know them.
14. Smile!
15. First impressions are everything (and you get one chance to make them).
16. Honor all beings.
17. Practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty.
18. Thank our service men and women every chance you get.
19. You can skimp on many things, but NOT paper towels and toilet paper.
20. Plant flowers and enjoy them.
21. Go swimming and get your hair wet…who cares what it looks like?.
22. Read to your children as long as you can.
23. Volunteer at your child’s school.
24. The best info you get is listening to kids talking in the back seat!
25. Always remember the feeling of kissing someone for the first time.
26. Stay in touch with your siblings as you get older.
27. Keep learning.
28. Walk your dogs, it’s great for both of you!
29. Your love for a pet can be so deep. When you lose them too soon it hurts more than you could imagine. But the sadness is worth the time you had with them.
30. Take care of your health.
31. Be kind to everyone.
32. Everyone should wait tables sometime…it teaches you how to treat your server, and teaches you humility.
33. Always carry ibuprofen with you.
34. Ride roller coasters even if you are terrified.
35. No matter what anyone says, Bud Light is the best beer ever. It is always the first one to go at a party.
36. Flirting is fun and harmless. Do it while you can.
37. Play music.
38. Great bedding is important.
39. Travel is the best education you can get.
40. Learn several phrases before going to a foreign country. Among them should include: “Please,” “Thank you,” and “Where is the bathroom?”
41. Visit Australia.
42. Respect other people’s religious beliefs .
43. Never let them see you sweat.
44. Worry and regret are useless wastes of energy.
45. Be the change you want to see in the world!
46. McDonald’s fries are the best fries in the world.
47. Find a job you love.
48. Family is everything.
49. Use good grammar…it matters.
50. Follow your heart.
