No Regrets

Keep On Rollin (REO Speedwagon)
http://youtu.be/b-nsLFSqu2c

     Last night my youngest daughter, a high school senior, and I had an interesting discussion . (Actually she did most of the talking and I did most of the listening - something very important to remember about living with teenagers). Anyway, through the course of the discussion she mentioned how she was "so ready" to "be over" high school with all of the drama that seems to be attached to it these days. She mentioned how she is looking forward to moving on with her life after high school - new friends, new scenery, new adventures. It brought back memories of when I was her age and how I felt about my high school years (but that is for another entry).

     We talked about moving forward and how things will change once she leaves high school and home for college. You can always come home, but you can never go back. Life at "home" moves on, with or without you there. I can recall times in my life when I have returned to an area where I previously resided, for nostalgia sake or perhaps trying to recreate happier times in my life, only to discover that life moves forward not backwards. People change, move, die, make different choices.  Places change ownership, get torn down, get "reinvented", change. Change is an inevitable part of life, for better of for worse. If there is one thing I have come to learn over the years of my life is that it is better to "roll with the changes", than live in the past holding on to what once was (at least in my memory).

     Don't live a life of regrets. Make wise, informed choices with a forward glance toward the consequences, and then you won't have to look back to a life of regrets. Don't let the decision making process paralize you, because we all make mistakes but rarely are they unfixable. One choice I will never regret was my decision to have three wonderful, loving, capable children who have grown up to be wonderful, loving, capable adults. At times during the parenting process I have wondered if I would scar them for life because of my mistakes, my inadequacies or my lack of experience. (If so, I guess they can take that up with their therapist one day :-)). Now, looking back, I am happy to say that my decision to be a "stay-at-home" parent was the wisest decision I ever made, because I got to know and have a relationship with three of the most wonderful individuals on this planet!
    
     I am not a big fan of change. "Growing pains" are real. It's hard sometimes and it hurts (alot) sometimes, but it is also an inevitable part of life. We aren't meant to stand still. Standing still means stagnation. Standing still means giving up and giving in. Standing still means "checking out" of  "real life". "The caravan moves on" with or without you on it. I find it is better to "flow" with life than "fight or flight" it, when it comes to change. Hold on to "the things that matter most" (family relationships, spiritual connections, good friendships, high standards and values) and let go of the rest. It just makes life sooo much easier and takes so much less energy than holding on to the past and what was or might have been. Embrace today, live your best today, be present today - because you never know what tomorrow will bring.  As the old saying goes: "Today is the first day of the rest of your life", so choose to live it with no regrets.

Wheel In The Sky (Journey)
http://youtu.be/RGbVoDVWZsc

p.s. I found this song by Hilary Weeks, the words speak volumes!

Stand Still

By Hilary Weeks

I’ve been taking pictures for a long, long time

Some are on paper – but most are in my mind

Snapshots and memories of the days when you were young

I plan to keep them

Long after you’ve grown and gone

I remember watching as you took your first step

Seems the clock’s been running faster ever since

Every day a little taller, it says so on the wall

The days are passing

And they’re not going to stop

And if I could

I would

Ask time to stand still

So I could hold you a little longer

I’d make the minutes stop

So we would always have today

I won’t let the sun go down

Until you know how I feel

I love you so much

I wish time could stand still

Fingerprints all over the sliding glass door

And I can barely see underneath the toys on the floor

I have wished away the sleepless nights,

The noise and the messes made

But my heart reminds me

I’m gonna miss these days

So if I could

I would

Ask time to stand still

So I could hold you a little longer

I’d make the minutes stop

So we would always have today

I won’t let the sun go down

Until you know how I feel

I love you so much

I wish time could stand still