I recently saw a wonderful piece about “If I Had My Life to Live Over.” I thought it was worth sharing with you. It’s from the late Nadine Stair of Louisville, Kentucky, who wrote it when she was 85 years old:
If I had my life to live over again,
I’d dare to make more mistakes next time.
I’d relax.
I’d limber up.
I’d be sillier than I’ve been this time.
I would take fewer things seriously.
I would take more chances,
I would take more trips.
I would climb more mountains and swim more rivers
I would eat more ice cream and less beans.
I would, perhaps, have more actual troubles but fewer imaginary ones.
You see, I’m one of those people who lived sensibly and sanely
Hour after hour,
Day after day.
Oh, I’ve had my moments.
If I had to do it over again,
I’d have more of them.
In fact, I’d try to have nothing else—just moments,
One after another, instead of living so many years ahead of each day.
I’ve been one of those persons who never goes anywhere without a thermometer,
A hot water bottle, a raincoat, and a parachute.
If I had to live my life over,
I would start barefoot earlier in the spring
And stay that way later in the fall.
I would go to more dances,
I would ride more merry-go-rounds,
I would pick more daisies.
Isn’t that fabulous? What a wonderful, wonderful way to live. Try it. If you had your life to live over, what would you do differently?
How We Lead 
What a great piece. I don’t know if its because I’m getting older but I’m not taking or getting upset at things. Oh yea there are things in this world country gov’t church that really ….me off but what can I do to change those people. Nothing. But I can do someting in my circle to love laugh and encourage others. Like this one Ken. Hope all is well. Haven’t seen you since Guideposts DC 10 years ago. Chris
Thanks for sharing Nadine’s wisdom. One of the words the hit me was her focus on the word Moments. I once looked it up in the dictionary because I kept hearing/feeling that word during a particularly stressful point in life. It was defined as ‘an instant’, and it was also defined ‘as a significant point in time’. Imagine if we could see the significance in today, in the moments we are living versus getting distracted by dreaming/worrying about trying to achieve those moments in the future? Thanks to Nadine for donating one of her moments to us.
Fabulous piece, once more. If I have more days, I would love to share more.
Tom, Nairobi
If I had my life to live over,
I would travel foreign countries to learn more and more.
I would read & translate more and more .
I would get up earlier to plan ,do & check.
I would Sense the life as it is, not what it should be.
I would “build a world a home and furnish it with love”.