One Hundred Things My Mother Taught Me A Million Times – Chapter 40

#40 - "Moderation in all things.”
(This really, really old photo is of my great grandmother Vina Belle McLaughlin, and great uncle, Alva McLaughlin, taken around 1900 in Spring Creek, TX)

When I was a kid and mom would say this one of one hundred things she taught me a million times, I thought she meant don’t do things, which in my “exploring the world of wonder” mentality just seemed wrong, and to conflict with the adventuresome mother I knew. But by the time I got old enough to experience the downside of “lack of moderation,” I realized what she was really saying was “It’s not what you do that gets you into trouble. It is how much.” Even arsenic in the right proportion can save a life. Click on Read More Below...

Unfortunately, I’ve always had a bit of a problem with the “how much” thing. I cook too much food and have tons of leftovers. I eat too much and am left feeling miserable. I drink too much (for me that’s two glasses of wine), and get sick. I spend too much money and regret it later. I try too hard, work too hard, color my hair too much, etc. etc. All things that would be OK if done in the right proportion, but which are problematic when not done in moderation.

So, mom was right, moderation in all things, except love and reading of course.

SueAnn