As an event manager at my job, I work weddings and other special occasions throughout the year. You meet different types of people with different backgrounds and never fail to learn something new, which is one of the reasons I love my job. This past weekend I worked a wedding and had a brief conversation with the organist that really inspired me to write this article. We talked about his experiences as an alumnus, how things have changed around campus, and our shared experiences working weddings. The conversation we had that stuck with me the most was the one we had about the key to living a long and healthy life.

He joked that he was older than he looked: “I’m turning 60 soon,” he admitted. Surprised, I asked him what his secret was. Simply, he answered, “Go to the doctor.” I laughed and he told me that, seriously, it was one of the things that he considered to be the most important resources in his secret of living a long and healthy life. “If you have a headache for a few days when you typically don’t get headaches, see a doctor. If you feel your lower back starting to hurt or the plumbing isn’t working right, see a doctor,” he said. He went on to explain how important your health is and to immediately seek medical attention whether it is something that seems to be small, if it is consistent and/or unusual he urged get medical help. I found it funny at first but then it started to make sense to me. We try to self diagnose ourselves these days especially with the accessibility of the Internet with the “answers” at our fingertips. But, there isn’t anything more important than your well being both physically and mentally so it truly is something to take seriously and practice. He added that there is always a solution to any problem, and to not let stress and/or doubt ever affect your journey towards finding that solution.

His next piece of advice was to be kind to people. He touched on this subject the longest as it was evident this was a value that he held deep in his heart. He put emphasis on being accepting and loving and being tolerant of each other as humans. This is a value that I personally find extremely important to practice in everyday life. Kindness is one of the most meaningful attributes to have; it defines your character, gives you integrity, and leads you to live a positive and healthy life. Tolerance and integrity are huge aspects of life that lead you towards ultimate happiness and satisfaction. Knowing who you are, and accepting yourself as well as accepting others with respect and genuineness is one of the most amazing qualities to obtain. He really inspired me to practice these attributes and apply them into my everyday life.

His last piece of advice was not letting negativity in your environment affect how you treat yourself and others around you. His “glass half full” mentality is what he said has really helped him live long and happy. To be quite frank, I wasn’t in the mood to have a conversation with the organist at the beginning, he kind of just went ahead and kept talking and out of respect, I listened. It was when he started to talk about these values and keys to living the kind of life I imagine living when I began to appreciate the stranger. Don’t be hesitant and reserved all the time, open yourself up to people and carry conversations, you never know what you will learn and whose life you might change simply from a conversation.