If I Had It All To Do Over

Someone asked me the other day if I had my life to do over, would I change anything. My answer was "no", but then I thought about it and changed my mind.

If I had my life to live over I would have waxed less and listened more.

Instead of wishing away 9 months of pregnancy and complaining about the shadows over my feet I would have cherished every minute of it and realized that the wonderment growing inside of me was to be my only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

I would never had insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have invited friends over for dinner even though the carpet was stained and the sofa faded.

I would have eaten popcorn in the "good" living room and worried less about the dirt when you lit the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather rumble about his youth.

I would have burnt the pink candle sculptured like a rose before it melted while being stored in the garage.

I would've sat cross-legged on the lawn with my children and never worried about grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life.

I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband which I took for granted.

I would have eaten less cottage cheese and more icecream!

I would have never bought anything just because it was practical.

When my children kissed me impetuously I would never have said, "Later, Later. Now go get washed up for dinner."

There would have been more 'I love you's', more 'I'm sorry's', more 'I'm listening'.

But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute of it. I would look at it and really see it. Try it on. Live it. Exhaust it. And never give that minute back. Until there was nothing left of it.

By: Erma Bombeck