I am a lifelong student. I try to learn something new every day. No, I don’t sit in a classroom semester after semester, year after year or take courses on the Internet; although, I would enjoy both of those pursuits, too.

I always loved school, from first grade through grad school. To me, the whole world is a gigantic classroom, full of fascinating free lessons for all of us. Some folks partake of this wonderful opportunity to gain more knowledge, while others pass up the chance.

Being an outdoor girl since childhood, I have discovered that Mother Nature is a wonderful teacher, and the lessons she provides are endless. That may be why I was attracted to a series of T-shirts offering advice from the natural world.

I bought my husband two of these shirts, and I never get tired of reading the messages and pondering their meaning. The exercise can become addicting, leading one to create other advice from various critters or flora in our environment.

The first shirt I bought, of course, features “Advice from a Squirrel.” Far from being silly, there is much truth to be found in the simple rules proclaimed by my favorite creature.

“Look both ways when you cross the road” is good advice for every living creature who wishes to remain that way. Although I have watched some squirrels look both ways, I wish many more animals and humans alike would heed the message.

“Plan ahead.” Squirrels do this by instinct. They do not consume (or spend) all they have at once. They set aside some bounty for the future. Wise words.

“Stay active.” Squirrels certainly practice what they preach. They seem to have boundless energy. Maybe if we humans were more active, we would have more energy, too.

“Eat plenty of fiber.” I could be happy with a squirrel’s diet, consuming nuts, seeds and fruits. Processed foods often contain very little healthful fiber.

“Spend time in the woods.” To this, I simply add open your eyes, ears and mind and let nature teach.

“Go out on a limb.” Isn’t that where the best fruit is? If we play it safe and stay close to the trunk, we’ll miss so much.

“It’s OK to be a little nuts!” Great advice. I feel vindicated.

My husband’s other shirt offers “Advice from a Tree.” The tree, too, advises us to “go out on a limb.” Why not? I do often. Who knows what is out there waiting to be discovered?

“Stand tall and proud,” whether you are a young sapling or a 300-year-old oak.

“Sink your roots into the earth.” It is the best way to ground ourselves.

“Be content with your natural beauty.” What wisdom - we should work with what we have and not try to be what we are not.

“Drink plenty of water.” Trees need it for their well-being, and so do we.

“Remember your roots.” Always be mindful of where we came from, and reach back to say thanks and offer a helping hand.

“Enjoy the view.” Life is short. Rejoice in it and savor every day.

Inspired by the sage advice from squirrels and trees, I attempted to write a few fun offerings from some other creatures.

Advice from a spider: Don’t drop in unannounced.

Advice from a bat (hanging upside down): Try to see things from another point of view.

The possibilities are numerous, and creative minds probably can come up with more clever advice than I have.

So go out on a limb and give it a try. Have fun. And remember, it’s OK to be a little nuts.