A few years ago my Dad and I were sitting outside admiring the beautiful sunset. He had recently retired. He turned to me and said if I die tomorrow I have done everything I wanted in life and I have no regrets. There were times when I was growing up I had thought my Dad was being selfish because our lives revolved around him but now I realize my Dad had lived his life to the fullest.
Looking back at life there are many times when I have had some type of regret. Not telling my childhood friend that I bowled with how much his kind manner meant to me and walking out that door of the bowling alley at sixteen without the courage to tell him that he was the only reason why I came to that particular bowling alley week after week. I may not ever have a chance to tell him that he did make a difference in my life and I enjoyed bowling with him because he was kind to me and the other boys I bowled with continually teased me or played pranks.
When a junior high school friend called me up out of the blue in high school and said let’s get together sometime and that sometime never came and we lost contact. I had missed an important moment of friendship that may not ever come again because I didn’t say why don’t you come over now?
Seize the moment and don’t be afraid of rejection. If you do get rejected at least you know the truth and never have to wonder “what if”. The “what if’s” cause regret. I believe regret is much more painful than seizing the moment, taking a chance, and following through on something that may be disappointing than always wondering “what if” I had spoken up and said “you are the only reason I come here week after week” or “sure come on over right now” I probably wouldn’t have any feelings of regret towards these two life learning experiences.
I found through experiencing life we need to tell people we care about them because if we don’t that day may never come. Take time to tell your family and friends what they mean to you. Seize the moment and live your life to the fullest without regret.
Live, laugh, dream, and love to the fullest!
Patti
