IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER

by Erma Bombeck (Written after she found but 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 have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about 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 sorrys.”

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. Let’s think about what God HAS blessed us with. And what we are doing each
day to promote ourselves mentally, physically, emotionally, as well as spiritually. Life is too short to let it pass you by. We only have one shot at this and then it’s gone.

I hope you all have a blessed day.

“Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”

Life Law #1: You either get it or you don’t. Become one of those who gets it.

Life Law #2: You create your own experience. Acknowledge and accept accountability for your life.

Life Law #3: People do what works. Identify the payoffs that drive your behavior and that of others.

Life Law #4: You cannot change what you do not acknowledge. Get real with yourself about your life and everybody in it.

Life Law #5: Life rewards action. Make careful decisions and then pull the trigger.

Life Law #6: There is no reality; only perception. Identify the filters through which you view the world.

Life Law #7: Life is managed; it is not cured. Learn to take charge of your life.

Life Law #8: We teach people how to treat us. Own, rather than complain, about how people treat you.

Life Law #9: There is power in forgiveness. Open your eyes to what anger and resentment are doing to you.

Life Law #10: You have to name it before you can claim it. Get clear about what you want and take your turn.

There is a bank that credits your account each morning with $86,400. It carries over no balance from day to day. Every evening deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day. What would you do? Draw out ALL OF IT, of course!!!!

Each of us has such a bank. Its name is TIME. Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off, as lost, whatever of this you have failed to invest to good purpose. It carries over no balance. It allows no overdraft.

Each day it opens a new account for you. Each night it burns the remains of the day. If you fail to use the day’s deposits, the loss is yours. There is no going back. There is no drawing against the “tomorrow.” You must live in the present on today’s deposits. Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness, and success! The clock is running. Make the most of today.

To realize the value of ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed a grade.

To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby.

To realize the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.

To realize the value of ONE MINUTE, ask a person who missed the train.

To realize the value of ONE-SECOND, ask a person who just avoided an accident.

To realize the value of ONE MILLISECOND, ask the person who won a silver medal in the Olympics.

Treasure every moment that you have! And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your
time. And remember that time waits for no one. Yesterday is history.

Today it seems that our lives are completely automated and overrun by machines and electronics.  Our thinking has even been corrupted to the point that we may fail to act within our means when the automated option has failed us. When something such as this confronts us I hope we are wise enough to take a stand.

Electronic conveniences have made some of their owners as useful as the power switch on the TV, when the remote has been misplaced.