If only

I  got to thinking about 'if only' early this morning, and wondered how many times I might have said that in my 74 years.  I could not think of one time...that's pretty amazing...and this led me to something I've said to my kids since eternity.

Go where you want to go,
Do what you want to do,
See what you want to see,
And you will never live your life with regret.

In other words, there won't be any 'if only' seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years in your life.

And, there won't be any of those could have, should have, would have moments either.  Your life will be full of sites explored, challenges met, and visions in you mental photo albums and scrap books to keep your children, and their children wondering how you ever had the time to go, do and see everything you did.

Funny really, how your life is filled with all those moments.  Mine sometimes take my breath away.

I remember walking to work one morning, turning on the radio there, and hearing President Kennedy had been shot and killed.  I remember the morning I turned on the television, and I saw the second plane hit the second tower.  I remember the first time I saw a man walk on the moon.

I remember the first time I smelled the ocean before I ever saw it.  I remember the first time I saw a robin's egg.  I remember the first time I ever tasted orange sherbet.

I remember the first time I whacked a mole on the head with a shovel, watched a squirrel wrestle with cherry tree branches in an attempt to make a nest, and even bury a beloved pet in the back yard.

I learned to crochet, paint with watercolor, walk a mile, sip Jim Beam, to say I love you to everyone I do, and...do it as often as I possibly can.

I re-learned to eat junk food, watch TV during the day...and sometimes even fall asleep for a quick nap, laugh, hardy, long and sometimes even loud.

 I found I'm forgetting things...mostly stuff I don't really want to remember in the first place, there is joy in putting my feet on the floor every morning, and that the best things in life really are free.  All I have to do is


Go where I want to go,
Do what I want to do,
And, see what I want to see,


Honest, I have no regrets and I can't think of one single 'if only' moment in my life.