By Dawn Onley

It goes back to grade school, when you tried to hide the peas and carrots under the mound of mashed potatoes, and you wondered why mama had to give you so much to begin with.

She’d turnaround from the stove, take one look at your plate, and say: “Eat your vegetables. They’re good for you. Don’t you want to be big and strong?” First you wondered if she had ESP. Then you might have muttered something under your breath, causing her to turn back around and eyeball you again. Still somehow, deep down inside your not fully developed kid brain, you knew that mama was right. I mean, she looked big and strong and so did daddy, and they both ate their vegetables.

It’s one of those simple lessons that many of us will be reminding ourselves of for the rest of our lives. These days, I love a good variety of veggies – sautéed, steamed, baked, chopped, raw, blended, juiced … you name it. But I usually have to be intentional about when and how I eat them – although I always do so knowing that they’re good for me.

But getting back to the lesson; isn’t it funny how most of our tests in life can be aced if we learn to follow some basic instructions? These lessons are so simple, yet if practiced routinely and deliberately, they could have a profound impact on our lives.

Treat people kindly. Love your neighbor. Be a friend. Say your grace. Be thankful. Eat your vegetables.