I recently read an article from Erma Bombeck entitled, “If I had my life to live over.” It’s a terrific excerpt and it got me thinking about my life, my thoughts and doings, my actions, my words — that affect how I feel, where my thoughts go and how I can handle the typical ups and downs of normal, everyday life.

 

Too much of my life is spent worrying about the home Terri and I have and the multitude of projects we have lined up to do. In Bombeck’s article, she explains how she would seize every minute — look at it and really see it — and live it and never give it back.

 

She also told herself to STOP SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF!

 

Good advice and it’s something I so desperately need to abide by.

 

She talks about  how instead of wishing away her nine months of pregnancy, that she would go back and cherish every moment and realize the wonderment growing inside of her.

 

I wish I could get nine months back with my parents — learning to cherish their dedicated love and leaning more on their wisdom. I wish I also had spent more time being a kid and spent less time trying so hard to become an adult.

 

Bombeck says she never would have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a sunny day for fear of getting her hair messed up. I agree wholeheartedly and always wonder how I’m going to keep my longer hair tamed when I take the top off my Jeep (when the weather warms up enough). Who really cares that I’ll end up looking like Don King or Carrot Top when I disembark my ride? 

 

Isn’t life short enough to hang on to this silly reservation?

 

Bombeck says she would have talked less and listened more. Oh boy, that’s one I need to really work on moving forward! Sometimes I get so involved with myself I don’t even give much regard to others who are looking for a bended ear.

 

Bombeck says she would have burned the pink candle that looked like a rose instead of holding on to it and allowing it to melt in storage — waiting for the day to carry out its purpose. It made me wonder why I hold onto so many physical things and worry I’ll lose them or tarnish their worth. What am I waiting for? If I were to perish today, all my “stuff” would end up being someone else’s treasure at a Goodwill or Salvation Army.

 

I guess that’s one good thing to possibly come out of it.

 

Bombeck closes her feature saying, “don’t worry about those who don’t like you, those who have more, or those who are doing whatever.” She says to instead, cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us.

 

Very sound advice. Something I plan to start putting into practice today.

 

 Let’s not wait until our own deathbeds to say, if I had my life to live over, I would do this...