35's Eve.

I guess dealing with 35 is not easy for me ... (well, partly because of some other worries).  Maybe I'm just coming to grips with the fact that I am aging.  And also human.  Surely I have some wisdom to show for 35 ...?

I've recently concluded that for every subject in life there are two kinds of truth:  the popular truth and the real truth.  Popular truth varies with culture.  It is taught in school and believed by the mainstream.  I think that the final maturation stage of intelligence involves sorting popular truths from real truths, and most people don't make it to this stage.

I think the most important thing in the universe is life.  More specifically, in order of importance, (1) absence of suffering, (2) existence, health, (3) happiness.  The most important things I can do are to bring life into the world, protect it, and prevent suffering.

About myself, I've learned that I am absolutely, if unfortunately, human.  Human nature is my nature, and mistreating myself never benefits me.  Treating myself as an entirely logical entity -- one that should not have these silly needs -- is counterproductive.

I've figured out that I don't have to keep reinventing the wheel.  I've spent most of my life refusing traditional lessons and insisting on figuring things out myself.  Why am I doing this?  It is so much more efficient to employ other people's methods and learn from other people's mistakes.

As much as I have pretended I don't need anyone, I am learning to admit that relationships are important.  Friendship requires an effort, and I need to make an effort.  I've always done a pretty good job tolerating people, but maybe not valuing them.

And finally, my goal as a mother is not, and never should have been, to make sure my children are inconvenienced as little as possible.  My job is to try my best to raise secure, self-confident, smart, healthy, and responsible children who are good people.  

Here's hoping for deeper wisdom in another 35 years ...