Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Life Lessons - Regrets

God's been trying to tell me something lately and I think my hard head is finally getting the message. I'm always saying, "One of these days I'm going to do this or that," and yet, I never get around to it. I'm talking about important things, not cleaning out my desk drawers. I mean spending time with people I love or people in need. Going places that I really, really want to see. Doing things I really, really want to do.

One day my dad and I were talking about my son who wanted to watch the NY Yankees play in Yankee Stadium before it closed, but decided he couldn't afford the expense. My dad said something that resonated loud and clear. He'd always wanted to do the same thing. He'd always wanted to go to a World Series, too. He'd always planned to travel and see Europe, etc. But he put it off, thinking he didn't want to spend the money or he didn't have time. And he never went. Now, at 81, he is severely hearing and visually impaired. He will never see or do or enjoy those things. He can't. The choice is no longer his to make. So he said to me, "Sis, you will never miss the money you spend on doing things you always wanted to do. You'll never miss the time it took. But someday, if you don't do those things, you'll look back and wish you had."

I've thought a lot about what my dad said. Then I turned on the radio and a country song was playing. I don't know the song or the singer, but the gist of the story was a man who'd reached his 102nd birthday telling people to love and do good and enjoy life because a hundred years goes by faster than you think.

We don't have the promise of a 100 years or even the promise of tomorrow. But we have today. So I'm starting today. I sent in my application for foster care. (It's been sitting on my desk for 3 months.) And I contacted an old friend that I've been wanting to get together with for YEARS. We email often and say things like, "We have to get together soon," but we never do. So now we are. For real.

So, that's my challenge to you today. Do something good that you've been putting off. And then let me know how it turned out.....

Peace and Grace!

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