If I had to live my life over
Here's a thought-provoking email I received the other day from a good friend. It's written by a writer, Erma Bombeck, when she discovered she had cancer. She died in 1996 and is a widely celebrated author of our times. She was a Catholic "who ate the body of Christ, the bread of life, that she may be raised up on the last day". This is what she wrote:
IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER - by Erma Bombeck (written after she found out she was dying from cancer).
I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day. I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage. I would have talked less and listened more. I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded. I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace. I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth. I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband. I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed. I would have sat on the lawn with my grass stains. I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life. I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime. Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle. When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner." There would have been more "I love you's" More "I'm sorry's." But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute...look at it and really see it.. . live it and never give it back. STOP SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF!!! Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more, or who's doing what Instead, let's cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us.
I feel this really puts things into perspective. As humans, we tend to be very relative in how we feel about things. For example, if we have to worry about item A, it suddenly stops being a problem when there is a problem B which is much bigger than A. And same when a C pops up which is much larger than B. I guess when a life changing event like Cancer shows up, everything else seems so trivial.
Her challenge here is to live life to the fullest - relishing each wonderful event that happens in our life and try to minimise how affected we are by the "small" matters and inconveniences that we come across. In essense, to use a cliche, to live everyday as if it were our last. How small these things (e.g. crying babies, the hot sun, walking a bit out of the way, waiting for someone, inconsiderate drivers) seem when we have so many other things to live for. If we could look through the eyes of God, would these things still matter that much?
Let's live.
IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER - by Erma Bombeck (written after she found out she was dying from cancer).
I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day. I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage. I would have talked less and listened more. I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded. I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace. I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth. I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband. I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed. I would have sat on the lawn with my grass stains. I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life. I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime. Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle. When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner." There would have been more "I love you's" More "I'm sorry's." But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute...look at it and really see it.. . live it and never give it back. STOP SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF!!! Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more, or who's doing what Instead, let's cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us.
I feel this really puts things into perspective. As humans, we tend to be very relative in how we feel about things. For example, if we have to worry about item A, it suddenly stops being a problem when there is a problem B which is much bigger than A. And same when a C pops up which is much larger than B. I guess when a life changing event like Cancer shows up, everything else seems so trivial.
Her challenge here is to live life to the fullest - relishing each wonderful event that happens in our life and try to minimise how affected we are by the "small" matters and inconveniences that we come across. In essense, to use a cliche, to live everyday as if it were our last. How small these things (e.g. crying babies, the hot sun, walking a bit out of the way, waiting for someone, inconsiderate drivers) seem when we have so many other things to live for. If we could look through the eyes of God, would these things still matter that much?
Let's live.