What would you have done differently?

[Pax]

Trek - I can help you with righting one of yours "shoulda's"...come on out to IL and I'll get you a ride on a combine (if you come in the Fall) or a BIG tractor any time of the year.

[lph]

I would have told my brother I loved him.

I didn't even know until he was gone. I hope he knew.


Otherwise - I do believe in living without regrets, just with lessons learnt.

[LBTC]

I would have told my brother I loved him.

I didn't even know until he was gone. I hope he knew.

{{{{{{{{{{{{lph}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

He does.

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[spazzdog]

Career-wise, I would have accepted the telecom design job on the NASA project.

Life-wise... like my sig says, no regrets! As much as I miss, yearn for, even need certain things and people that used to be in my life, they aren't. I believe things happen for a reason...

Sometimes I even figure out what that reason is.

spazz

[KSH]

What I would have done differently from the age of 17 ish to 31 (I'm 34 now):

1) I would have realized that I didn't NEED a man. I would have seen that I was fine on my own with my friends and having a date didn't mean a damn thing.

2) I would have seen that the guys I was dating were losers and treated me badly... and they wouldn't have made it past dating me a week.

3) I wouldn't have married one of the above mentioned losers and stayed with him for 5 years. Even though I vowed to stayed married until the day I died... I would have pulled my head out of my butt when I realized what a miserable loser he was, and I would have gotten the heck out.... unfortunately, I waited till he did it (once he decided to lose jobs, use my money, cheat on me and start using speed).


Even though my history with men has been depressing and dismal... it has made me the woman I am today. I don't put up with anything.

If a man can't treat me right, he's gone. I won't even blink an eye. My current boyfriend knows this... thus he has treated me wonderfully for 3 years.

[lph]

{{{{{{{{{{{{lph}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

He does.

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

Thanks, sweetie

[Trek420]

Trek - I can help you with righting one of yours "shoulda's"...come on out to IL and I'll get you a ride on a combine (if you come in the Fall) or a BIG tractor any time of the year.

Hmmmm

[indysteel]

I think it's hard to have regrets because everything shapes us to be who we are now.

I have spent a great deal of time thinking just that over the past year. There are number of painful experiences I've had over the years that have led, directly or indirectly, to some of the happiest parts of my life. Most recently, I had a difficult relationship and painful breakup with the man who inspired me to start riding and practicing yoga, both of which have helped me to dramatically reinvent myself. The cause and effect of that relationship really jolted me into cultivating a deep sense of gratitude for my life experiences, both good and bad. There's a mystery and wonder about the whats, whys, whos and hows of my life that I'm really trying to embrace.

My yoga teacher instructs us to be open to our in-breath, rather than to force it or to suck air in. For me, that's provided an apt metaphor for being open to my life. It's not that I live recklessly or without any kind of plan or goals, but I am trying to let go of certain preconceived notions about what my life or any experience within it is supposed to look like. As high-strung lawyer who's also a Virgo , it's proving to be very liberating.

By the way, in the midst of all of my soul searching this year, I read a wonderfully insightful and funny book called Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I recommend it wholeheartedly. It's about a writer who, in the midst of some tough personal crises, travels to Italy, India and Bali to explore, respectively, three parts of her personality--pleasure, spirituality, and balance. The book really resonated with me.

[Kitsune06]

I would have put less effort into trying to be liked, and liked myself more; sought out people who liked me for who I was. That lesson took too long to learn.

I would've been a little more adamant that my health problems get looked into when I was a kid. My back, joint, and stomach problems are not hypochondria.

I would've gone out for school sports. Even if I thought I sucked. I must not have if the coach stuck me in for important games. I would've gone on XC with Megan in junior high. Punker Megan who shared my birthday and always came in last but tried anyway. At that age, it doesn't occur to you to tell people how proud of them you are, just for trying. We just laughed together about her being last, but could tell she had fun.


Among the coulda-woulda-shouldas, we need to accept that life follows the path it does because of all the things in our past. Maybe not 'for a reason' or to a specific, pre-determined end, but our own personal experiences dictate so much of our lives, personalities, options and reactions to everyday existence. The universe saw fit to show me darkness before I could experience the light.

[Kitsune06]

Trek - I can help you with righting one of yours "shoulda's"...come on out to IL and I'll get you a ride on a combine (if you come in the Fall) or a BIG tractor any time of the year.

Hmmmm

oh! oh! Queen! Can I get a ride on your big machine?

...
*hangs head in shame* the temptation was irresistable. It was.

[crazycanuck]

Can i get back to you when i'm 90yrs old?

C

[LBTC]

Can i get back to you when i'm 90yrs old?

No rush, CC.

I'd have waited til 90 too, if I weren't sidelined by this darned thing.

I think I'll go have a cry now.

Hugs & butterflies,
~T~

[lph]

I think I'll go have a cry now.

Hey, we're right there with you.

Try throwing stuff. I hear flowerpots are good, but they make a bit of a mess. Plastic bottles make a nice thunk, though.

[Bikingmomof3]

I cannot think of anything I would have changed. There were a few things I wish had not happened, but those were not things I could have controlled; preterm labours, seizures during delivery, 5 months on hospital bedrest with the twins, the twins being born so early and sick, my TIAs and strokes. As I see it, those are the curve balls, the challenges in my life that I had to meet and overcome. Overall I am very happy and blessed.

[wannaduacentury]

I cannot think of anything I would have changed. There were a few things I wish had not happened, but those were not things I could have controlled; preterm labours, seizures during delivery, 5 months on hospital bedrest with the twins, the twins being born so early and sick, my TIAs and strokes. As I see it, those are the curve balls, the challenges in my life that I had to meet and overcome. Overall I am very happy and blessed.

Jen, I had seizures too when my dd was born(emergency c-section-eclampsia)- I'm not supposed to be here either, but I am- God willing and we're happy and healthy. Jennifer