Five Wishes

[Michael Neill]

One of the most famous answers to the deathbed question came in
this essay, often attributed to a woman named Nadine Stair but
originally published in 1955 by humorist Don Herold:

If I had my life to live over, I would try to make more
mistakes. I would relax. I would be sillier than I have been
this trip. I know of very few things that I would take
seriously. I would be less hygienic. I would go more places. I
would climb more mountains and swim more rivers. I would eat
more ice cream and less bran.

I would have more actual troubles and fewer imaginary troubles.
You see, I have been one of those fellows who live prudently
and sanely, hour after hour, day after day. Oh, I have had my
moments. But if I had it to do over again, I would have more of
them - a lot more. I never go anywhere without a thermometer, a
gargle, a raincoat and a parachute. If I had it to do over, I
would travel lighter.

It may be too late to unteach an old dog old tricks, but perhaps
a word from the unwise may be of benefit to a coming
generation. It may help them to fall into some of the pitfalls I
have avoided.

If I had my life to live over, I would pay less attention to
people who teach tension. In a world of specialization we
naturally have a superabundance of individuals who cry at us to
be serious about their individual specialty. They tell us we
must learn Latin or History; otherwise we will be disgraced and
ruined and flunked and failed. After a dozen or so of these
protagonists have worked on a young mind, they are apt to leave
it in hard knots for life. I wish they had sold me Latin and
History as a lark.

I would seek out more teachers who inspire relaxation and fun. I
had a few of them, fortunately, and I figure it was they who
kept me from going entirely to the dogs. From them I learned how
to gather what few scraggly daisies I have gathered along
life's cindery pathway.

If I had my life to live over, I would start barefooted a little
earlier in the spring and stay that way a little later in the
fall. I would play hooky more. I would shoot more paper wads at
my teachers. I would have more dogs. I would keep later hours.
I'd have more sweethearts. I would fish more. I would go to
more circuses. I would go to more dances. I would ride on more
merry-go-rounds. I would be carefree as long as I could, or at
least until I got some care - instead of having my cares in
advance.

More errors are made solemnly than in fun. The rubs of family
life come in moments of intense seriousness rather that in
moments of light-heartedness. If nations - to magnify my point -
declared international carnivals instead of international war,
how much better that would be!

With love,
michael

[astro4u]

Wow powerful I am going to read to my girls and husband tonight---because they have a rather serious mom/wife--they teach me to relax.
Thank You

[Summer]

I loved reading this and got a very knowing feeling in the solar plexus when I read 'I would start bearfooted earlier in the spring'.  This really resonated with me and Candace Pert's message about us being hard-wired for bliss shouted at me.

I'm in the recovery stages of a long illness and after a long time of being superglued to my couch these are the promises I made to myself;

1) When I can get out in the big wide world again I'll buy all my groceries from Marks and Spencers Food hall

2)I'll treat myself the way I treat others with respect, kindness and love.

3) I'll stop sweating the small stuff and use my energy for joyful stuff instead.

4) I'll choose to have people in my life who enhance it and wave goodbye to the drainers.

5) I'll rest in the day and feel great about it.

6) I'll find my life's purpose.

7) I'll stop playing small, being scared of my power and become all I can be.

I detested every minute of the physical and mental suffering I've endured but the stuff I learned there is precious.  I keep almost all my promises almost all of the time and my life is a different place.  Its worth living.  I'm glad to have had the opportunity to change before it was too late....................

[Donstar]

1. I would bounce more.
2. I would go do the stuff I think about instead of writing on a forum about it...

I'm off to bounce!

Love

Donna.x

[SuzInFrance]

If I could do it all over again:

1) I would enjoy making mistakes knowing they were teaching me new things.

2) I would see the joy in everything (or at least most everything)

3) I would realize that  I am a great person.

4) I would see the world as a wonderful place.

I'll have to give this more thought and add some more later!

What a cool exercise!

Thanks, Michael!

enjoy and love,
Suzanne