I’ve always tried to learn something new every day, because, as they say, education is a never-ending process. Once you think you know it all, you are no longer relevant.

So, today, I will recap some of the lessons I learned last week:

Don’t park your car under a tree — oh, wait. I believe I already knew that, but have relearned it as my black car is now covered with white bird droppings.

If you do park your black car under a tree, especially in the spring season, don’t forget to wash your car . . . frequently.

Champagne is capitalized — it is named after a region of France, so even in a generic reference to the sparkling wine drink, it should be capitalized.

Even if it is mid-springtime in Mississippi, don’t forget to bring your coat, long sleeves and maybe even a cap. It’s has been cold out there, especially for April in Mississippi.

Never take anything for granted. Every minute God has given us on this Earth is precious. You never know when something could happen to take that away from you.

That lesson, unfortunately, was heart-wrenchingly illustrated in several instances during the past week, including an instance in which an SUV veered into the path of an oncoming vehicle on a Louisiana highway resulting in a head-on collision that cost a Louisiana woman her life.

And, in the case of a house fire that claimed the life of a woman in Adams County on Tuesday night despite heroic efforts of emergency responders and family members to save her.

And, in the loss of a 16-year-old male, who investigators believe died of an accidental gunshot wound to the chest.

With those last few painful lessons come many sub-lessons, such as take precautions in an effort to lessen the chances of such tragic events happening.

To that end, always drive defensively. It may not be your mistake, but it could be the mistake of the other driver who is not paying attention and if you’re paying attention, you might be able to avert disaster.

Make sure your house is equipped with properly functioning fire extinguishers and smoke detectors. That could be the difference in life and death if a fire breaks out. Do as Natchez fire officials advised last week, and clear any unnecessary clutter out of your house to lessen the chance of a rapidly spreading fire.

And, if you are a gun owner, please keep your guns in a safe place where young, inexperienced people cannot get to them.

Guns are not playthings, and anyone who owns guns should take it upon themselves to learn proper use and handling of guns, including that everyone should treat all guns as if they’re loaded, that guns are meant for killing and should never be drawn — outside of target practice and maintenance — unless you intend to kill with it and then, only in self-defense. Be prepared to live with the consequences of that decision.

Regardless of whether you take those precautions, mistakes happen. Life has no guarantees, so live life to the fullest but take the effort to minimize the risks and thank God for every new day. Lord knows at my age, I should have learned all of the above a long time ago. Or maybe I had learned all or most of those lessons at some point in my life but just forgot them in the aging process and had to relearn them.

Don’t forget to learn — or re-learn, as the case may be — something new every day.

Scott Hawkins is editor of The Natchez Democrat. Reach him at 601-445-3540 or scott.hawkins@natchezdemocrat.com.