It's our first hot afternoon. The air conditioner has just been installed. It feels wonderful!

What to do with this cool, pleasant atmosphere, even though artificially introduced to my living room? Well, why not? I kick off my shoes and settle into the lounge chair. Here goes with an early-summer column.

I glance at my overloaded bookshelf and pull out a small volume, “Lists to Live by for Smart Living.” Hmmm! This should do! Let's hear what some smart people have had to say about wisdom.

€ We never repent of having eaten too little.

- Thomas Jefferson

€ Never trouble another for what you can do yourself. - Thomas Jefferson

€ True success isn't measured in cars or homes or bank accounts, but in relationships.

- Phil Callaway

€ Three great essentials for achieving anything worthwhile are hard work, stick-to-itiveness and common sense. - Thomas Edison

€ The traits of a wise person are frequent self-examination, steady obedience to what one knows to be right, and indifference to what others think or say. - Marcus Aurelius

€ The better part of a man's life consists of his friendships.

- Abraham Lincoln

€ Nothing wastes more energy than worrying.

-- Patti Mac Gregor

€ It is more important to know you're on God's side.

€ You are only what you are when no one is looking.

€ Don't put limits on yourself.

€ Put things back where you found them.

€ Remember these extreme virtues: Beauty, if it becomes vanity; self-confidence, if it becomes arrogance; tolerance, if it becomes indifference.

Anonymous:

€ The six most important words: “I admit I made a mistake.”

€ The five most important: “You did a good job.”

€ The four most important: “What is your opinion?”

€ The three most important: If you please.

€ The two most important: Thank you.

€ The one most important: We.

€ The least important word: I.

“Lists to Live by for Smart Living” was compiled by Alice Gray, Steve Stephens and John Van Diest. The book was published by Multomak Publishers, Inc.

Dorothy Nelson lives and writes in Auburn