Last year, I wrote a post about how even inanimate objects have something to teach us about life, if we allow ourselves to be open to the lessons. Since then, more everyday items have spoken to me (figuratively, that is—I’m not hallucinating), imparting their wisdom.

And since we baby boomers are never too old to learn something new—or to be reminded of what we already know but may have forgotten—I had to share what these items said:

Candle

If you never give yourself a rest, you’ll burn yourself out.

When you’re left alone or ignored, you can cause trouble.

It’s best to avoid blowhards.

Window

If you leave yourself too wide open, crap can get in.

If you give an unscrupulous person even a tiny opening, they might try to pry their way in.

Screening out nuisances helps protect you from aggravation.

It’s important to be able to look inward as well as see outward.

Car

Regular tune-ups are necessary to keep yourself in tip-top shape.

Don’t ignore warning signs.

Taking a test drive before making a commitment can reveal important information.

Similarly, learning which features in a potential partner are standard and which are optional can save you buyer’s remorse.

Moving too fast puts you at risk of an accident.

While it can be helpful to understand where you’re coming from, it’s more important to look ahead at where you’re going.

If you don’t pay attention to where you’re going, you probably won’t end up where you want to be.

How well you perform depends on the fuel you consume.

It’s amazing how far you can go sitting down.

Chair

Sometimes just sitting there is the best thing you can do.

Providing comfort for others can be our best and highest purpose.

Cell phone

Sometimes it’s hard to make yourself clearly understood.

Just because you’re talking doesn’t mean anyone’s listening.

You learn more from listening that you do from talking.

If you spend focus only on what’s under your nose, you miss the bigger picture.

Sometimes you just need to disconnect—or at least put everything on mute.

Dinner plate

If you load yourself up with junk, you won’t have room for the really good stuff.

If you pile on too much of anything, it will spill over and get messy.

Savor what life has to offer—but you don’t have to devour everything all at once.

Blow dryer

Just because someone blows a lot of hot air doesn’t mean they don’t have a purpose.

Pillow

It’s what’s inside you that should determine whether someone wants to sleep with you.

Some people think they have to punch you to make you conform to their desires.

Sometimes, just being there for someone who needs to cry or scream and blow off steam is the best thing you can do.

Bed/mattress

Getting into something is often easier than getting out of it.

It’s difficult for people to feel comfortable if you’re too hard or too soft.

Sometimes your pillow-top can get lumpy.

The older we get, the more we tend to sag in the middle.

Shoes

Some people judge you solely by how you look.

Others appreciate you more for how you make them feel.

Comfort and support assume greater importance as you get older.

When something isn’t a good fit or rubs you the wrong way—and you can’t fix it—let it go.

Mirror

How you see yourself isn’t necessarily how others see you.

Sometimes we see problems that aren’t really there because it’s a reflection of our own thinking.

Screwdriver

When you get in the groove, your job is much easier.

Soap

Some people will use you up if you let them.

Sometimes you have to sacrifice part of yourself to help others.

Depending on how you present yourself, some people will try to pump things out of you.

It takes help to get clean.

Pumice stone

Practically everyone has some rough edges that could be improved.

It can take something hard and abrasive to produce something soft and smooth.

Mouthwash

Like common sense, the people who need it most don’t always use it.

Coaster

It’s important to protect yourself from drips.

Tissue

Some people only reach for you when they need you; others keep you close at all times.

You can absorb only so much before you fall apart.

Radio

Just because someone is talking doesn’t mean they have anything to say.

Some people can turn you on—or off—just like that.

There’s always music playing somewhere.

Clock

This moment is all there is, and it won’t come again.

So, what do you think? Got some life lessons of your own that you’ve gleaned from inanimate objects? Please share. And while you’re thinking about it, here’s this week’s haiku, reprised from my previous post on this same topic:

You’d be amazed at
what thoughts can fill your mind when
you keep it open.