No. 950 GEMS FROM THE LATE ANDY ROONEY

No. 950

Jim Davidson -- NEWSPAPER COLUMN

GEMS FROM THE LATE ANDY ROONEY!

One of my all-time favorite TV personalities was the late Andy Rooney, who was a fixture on the CBS Television news program “60 Minutes” from 1978 until a few months before his death in 2011. He was 92 when he died. This brushy eye-browed old man who often came across as a curmudgeon, but was really not, could say more in four or five minutes than most people can say in an hour. Like most people of his stature, he left behind some great gems or truisms in the form of “Things I have learned,” and I would like to share a few of them with you today. Even if you have never heard of him, see if you don’t agree.
I have learned, “The best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.” I have learned “That when you are in love, it shows.” I have learned “That just one person saying to me, ‘you have made my day!’ makes my day. I have learned “That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.” I have learned “That being kind is more important than being right.” I have learned “That you should never say no to a gift from a child.” I have learned “That I can always pray for someone when I don’t have the strength to help him in some other way.”
I have learned “That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.” I have learned “That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.” I have learned “That simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights, when I was a child, did wonders for me as an adult.” I have learned “That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.” I have learned “That we should be glad when God doesn’t give us everything we ask for.” I have learned “That money doesn’t buy class.”
I have learned “That it’s those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.” I have learned “That under everyone’s hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.” I have learned “That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.” I have learned “That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.” I have learned “That love, not time, heals all wounds.” I have learned “That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.” I have learned “That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.” I have learned “That no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.” I have learned “That life is tough, but I’m tougher.” I have learned “That opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.”
I have learned “That when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.” I have learned “That I wish I could have told my mom that I love her one more time before she passed away.” I have learned “That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.” I have learned “That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.” I have learned “That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you are climbing it.” I have learned “That the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.”
Well, that’s it. I believe you will agree that Andy Rooney was quite a man. More than anything he made those of us who were his fans think, and that is a very good thing.
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(EDITOR'S NOTE: Jim Davidson is a public speaker and syndicated columnist. You may contact him at 2 Bentley Drive, Conway, AR 72034. To begin a bookcase literacy project visit www.bookcaseforeverychild.com. You won’t go wrong helping a needy child.)