It’s that time of year where half the world seems to lose all perspective.
A Disco Christmas? (Photo credit: paparutzi)
Chatting with my best friend the other day about Erma Bombeck’s list of things she would have done differently in life prompted her own short list of things she would have done if she had more time.
“These are not a list of regrets,” she was quick to assure me. “I have no regrets!” She gave me that look that said she was seriously completely honest about that statement. “No regrets!”
That’s true. She has used these past few nauseated chemofied pain-managed years making sure there would be no regrets that she had control over.
But there is this short list of ‘would have if she could have’ that I wrote down as we talked, with her permission of course.
- Kiss her husband more often for at least six seconds each time
- Pull her kids out of school for whatever, more often
- Travel more
- Jump on the trampoline when the kids asked instead of “later”
- Ride bikes with the kids more
- Teach more life skills that come in handy like “let the dryer do the ironing” and such.
- Read bedtime stories more regularly
- Be more gracious and nicer to her husband
- Attend temple more often
- Never ever start drinking soda
- Adopt a Chinese baby since her husband speaks Chinese and could help keep their culture
- Yell Less
- Exercise more consistently
Gift! (Photo credit: allie™)
I noticed the “more” she wished for wasn’t something that could be put in a package, wrapped up and tied with a bow then slid under a Christmas Tree. The “more” wasn’t something she could send someone on an errand last-minute to take care of.
I sure hope I’m making the big things the big things and not getting it backward.
It’s so easy to let the minor things take over and get major league treatment. Meanwhile The Really Important People and events end up forgotten, rolling and banging around in the cargo area.
I’m pretty sure my list would be full of BIG regrets. Not something like this “woulda been nice if” list.
Maybe I ought to start doing something about my regret list now, while I have time. At least, I think I have time.
We never know, do we?
Pucker up MSH, I’m headed your way.
Kami's Beautiful Morning 