Races

Saturday, December 31, 2011

Purpose

This poem by Nadine Stair moved me when I was a teenager which is surprising that even at that young age I'd be thinking about how I would live my life if I were to live it over. But here it is:

If I had my life to live over, I'd dare to make more mistakes next time. I'd relax, I would limber up. I would be sillier than I have been this trip. I would take fewer things seriously. I would take more chances. 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 I'd have 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, and 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 do it again, I would travel lighter than I have.

If I had my life to live 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.

Did I live that out during the period of time between being a teenager and now? I'm not sure. I made more mistakes, absolutely. I climbed more mountains and swam more rivers, definitely. And ohhhh the merry-go-rounds... I'm still nauseous from those rides. But I can be sure that now I've stepped out of the spinning and staggered dizzily into the open field, I will go barefoot so that I can feel every pull of earth beneath my feet, myself centred and steady, walking forward with purpose and following my heart toward the sunrise of new beginnings.