If I Had My Life To Live Over

Irma Bombeck was my hero. She was my hero because she helped me laugh at myself. When she described a happening in her life the way she did, I laughed. The best part about her stories was that they were also stories about me. She did many of the same things I did or at the very least, wanted to do.

As I laughed at her foibles and mine, I realized that her ability to make me laugh, saved me from the tears that would have fallen because of feeling guilt because of my very human and womanly mistakes.

Irma Bombeck wrote: If I Had My Life To Live Over after she found out that she was dying.

Her words have hit home with me and I hope they hit home with you too because they teach such a lesson about life. They teach that wasting time on unimportant things is just that…a waste of time.

The one difference between Irma Bombeck and those of us reading or writing these posts is that she was happily married.

If I Had My Life To Live Over

by Irma Bombeck

If I had my life to live over, I would have talked less and listened more.

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the ‘good’ living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.

I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television – and more while watching life.

I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren’t there for the day.

I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn’t show soil or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I’d have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, “Later. Now go get washed up for dinner.”

There would have been more “I love yous…”  More “I’m sorrys…”

But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute… look at it and really see it … live it…and never give it back.

My friends, she understood what we need to understand while we are still living through the days of these wonderful lives of ours!