What would you do? (long post)

[zeraspride]

I was watching Grey’s Anatomy on Sunday night and the main character kept saying she felt like she as going to die and it was her last day on the earth. She kept asking viewers what they would do if they knew today was the last day they would spend on this planet. I have been giving that a lot of thought.

How much enjoyment and pleasure do we put off until . . . until we get to our weight loss goal . . . until we get the money . . . until the time is right . . . until we meet the perfect man? We just don’t know what each day will bring. We often take it for granted that we will have today, the next day and the next and the next ad nauseam but the sad and exhilarating fact is that we don’t know if we will have tomorrow. So we need to stop putting things off until our body and life and finances are perfect because that may never happen.

My husband and I are saving for a house of our own and it’s very important to us. The other day I was thinking about how fun it would be to go to Hawaii and the thought of Hawaii has been sticking with me ever since. I have always wanted to go there and I know once we buy our house, all “extra” money will go for it’s upkeep and Hawaii will be an even more distant dream than it is now. I was thinking that if I found out I was going to die tomorrow, I would rather have happy memories of me and my husband frolicking on a beach in Maui as we watched a beautiful sunset than the memory of slaving away to save for a house that will take us 15-30 years to pay off and that I might not even be around to enjoy!

Now don’t get me wrong, we all have different priorities and we are teetering on the fence about whether we want the house now or the fantastic and romantic escape to my dream island but the point is I am beginning to be a believer in living life to the full TODAY and not waiting for someday to come because it just might not.

I want to adopt this philosophy in other areas too. There are so many things I have wanted to do but have been afraid to explore like: going back to school, writing a book, taking a cooking class, taking ski and ice skating lessons, going scuba diving and possibly relocating to a warmer climate.

What about you? What does your heart long to do that you have been putting off? Is the only thing keeping you from your dream or your goal YOU? I think we can all look at our lives and see ways we can make some improvements so that we joy ourselves each day even if it is only in some small way like a bubble bath, reading a good book, taking a well deserved afternoon nap or booking that dream trip. As Jill Scott said in song, you deserve to live your life like it’s “GOLDEN”!

I don’t expect anyone to post to this thread unless you want to share but you guys know how I like to write down the thoughts I think and this is what has been on my mind this morning.

[becca300]

I watched that show as well! My husband asked me this same question. I quit smoking 2 years ago and it is still hard for me. I guess if your'e not a smoker you don't understand, but the first thing I thought at that moment was I would go out and buy myself a pack of cigarettes and smoke them all. Isn't that sick. Just goes to show you how those things addict you even after you have stopped for 2 years. He said he wanted to have "you know what" one last time. I thought to myself, what is wrong with us?? After thinking for a minute, I thought I really want to spend it with my children and grandchildren around me. My husband and wonderful family. My husband and I saved for 10 years for the down payment on our house. Thought we'd never get there. It was my dream to have my own home I could do whatever I wanted to with. The day we closed and the lady handed me the keys and said Congratulations, on your new home, I cried like a baby. It meant so much to me. But I have to say in retrospect that since then, we haven't even had a real vacation either. 10 years to save every dime and then 6 more years of plumbing breaking down, garage doors not working, and paint and maintenance, taxes and insurance going up every year, the list just goes on and on! I wish we would have taken a year off and went on that wild and wooley vacation. It would have been worth waiting an extra year for the house! After all you can't take the house with ya....but you can take those wonderful memories anywhere you go! I guess I would vote for the vacation...as they say, " I wish I knew then, what I know now!"

[vessel of prayer]

I want a new home too, but we arent saving, we have no money right now. We live paycheck to paycheck. Anyhow, if I had the money, I would travel also. Maybe not to Hawaii, but to somewhere where there is snow. Maybe take a skiing lesson. Use to live in snow, but never skied.

Then maybe a trip to Hawaii. I really want to see Alaska in the winter and summer, and my most wanted trip of all would be to Isreal. MY HEARTS DESIRE.

I still want to be thin, I would like a breast decreasement surgery...(smile) and have them put back to where they should be..hahahah. That is about it I guess. Great post btw.

Sheila