"More often in life, we end up regretting the chances in life that we had, but didn’t take them, than those chances that we took and wished we hadn’t.”
I keep running across quotes that make me think......HA! I think I might start a "quote of the day." A friend of mine used to do a "word of the day" as her and her children rode to school every morning. Now that they are all grown up, she sends them a text with a "quote of the day." I think it is neat. I think I will start doing that too. I'ma send it to my 4 children, my daughter in law, and my soon to be son in law. Now on to the quote of the day (above).
I can remember very clearly the day the above quote became real to me. I was a young single mother of 4 small children (elementary age). I was overwhelmed with just taking care of their needs, but my biggest fear was having regrets where they were concerned. I always dressed them in the best clothes, made sure they didn't have any spots or stains, ironed each ones clothes, combed and fixed their hair, etc. I made sure they ate 3 meals a day, kept a clean house, brought them to church, at the least, 3 times a week. If they were interested in something, I made sure they had sufficient exploration because I knew education would ensure their success one day. Then one day, a friend of mine gave me a story written by a older mother who was just recently diagnosed with cancer. She was in her 70's, and she had decided that she wasn't going to go through chemotherapy. She had been through it before, and she had decided that she would spend what time she had left enjoying her children and grandchildren. She decided to write a note to young mothers, so that they would not make the same mistakes she made. The main idea of her note was the above quote. Her note hit such a "raw" nerve, that after I read it, I just sat and cried. Basically it said, don't worry about a spotless house, dishes, clothes that need ironing, etc. Use your time wisely....spend time with your babies...make memories. Time is one of those things that we take for granted....we all have time....it doesn't cost us anything....but when your time on earth is done, what is it you want your love ones to remember? You kept a clean house? No, you want them to remember those good times. Like the time mom was determined to take you all to New Orleans to see Christmas in the Oaks in City Park and we ended up in Slidell...HA! By the time we got there, you all were too tired to ride the old vintage carosel and I made you all get on it because we had spent 4 hours looking for the blessed park! Or the many times we spent the day in Biloxi on the beach, and before we headed back home at the end of the day, I made yall strip butt naked on highway 90 and I poured water on you to get the sand off of you before you got in the van (don't worry, Aunt MB was holding the towel so no one would see your booty). Or our many trips to the state capital, museums, Audubon Park, the Aquarium, misson trips, etc. etc, Gosh how time flys. On the day that I read that letter from that dieing mother, I decided that an untidy house wasn't so bad (remeber our Saturday clean up days?HA) With 5 of us working, we were done in an hour! I am so grateful to my friend who gave me that letter. I found it a couple of years ago, and it brought tears to my eyes. Little did we know that several years later, her son would be diagnosed with cancer and she would lose him to the dreadful disease. Life is so short. The truth is, in the end....it is those things that money cannot buy that suddenly become priceless to us....Time, Love, Friendship, Memories, Peace, Happiness, etc.Those are the things that are priceless, but we usually do not realize it when it matters most. I am so thankful to that dieing mother. Had I not read her letter, I may be writing a different post. I continue to make the most of each day. Oh, I have duties to fulfill, but I make time for my children and grandchildren, I make as memories as I can, I love, I seek peace, I find happiness in anything. I don't every want to say....I wish I had done......? I do it. I don't want to say I have no regrets, but the ones I do have are small in comparision to what could have been had it not being for that dieing mother's note to young mothers. I hope she knows how thankful I am that she included that note to young mothers during her end time. What a beautiful legacy. I'ma try to find it, and post it on this here blog.
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