I recently saw a wonderful piece about “If I Had My Life to Live Over.” I thought it was worth sharing with you. It’s from the late Nadine Stair of Louisville, Kentucky, who wrote it when she was 85 years old:
If I had my life to live over again,
I’d dare to make more mistakes next time.
I’d relax.
I’d limber up.
I’d be sillier than I’ve been this time.
I would take fewer things seriously.
I would take more chances,
I would take more trips.
I would climb more mountains and swim more rivers
I would eat more ice cream and less beans.
I would, perhaps, have more actual troubles but fewer imaginary ones.
You see, I’m one of those people who lived sensibly and sanely
Hour after hour,
Day after day.
Oh, I’ve had my moments.
If I had to do it over again,
I’d have more of them.
In fact, I’d try to have nothing else—just moments,
One after another, instead of living so many years ahead of each day.
I’ve been one of those persons who never goes anywhere without a thermometer,
A hot water bottle, a raincoat, and a parachute.
If I had to live my life over,
I would start barefoot earlier in the spring
And stay that way later in the fall.
I would go to more dances,
I would ride more merry-go-rounds,
I would pick more daisies.
Isn’t that fabulous? What a wonderful, wonderful way to live. Try it. If you had your life to live over, what would you do differently?