Image source: https://img00.deviantart.net/08d7/i/2010/301/f/b/tomorrow_is_too_late_by_austin_animal_art-d2xox2r.jpg
Ill start with, a confessionIve been around for more than half a century now, over 54 years in fact not something id often admit to, and ive travelled half of our beautiful planet (well ok, there are some parts ive been to that are not quite so beautiful), by plane, train, helicopter, motorcar and motorcyclein fact ive been riding motorbikes for what amounts to about 40 years and ive been travelling for pretty close to that same period of time.
As you can imagine, ive seen, done and experienced many things, in many places, with many people of practically every nationality, colour and creed, and furthermore ive enjoyed every part of it except for this one recurring thing
and thats standing beside the deathbed or the accident scene of a good friend or family member who is just about to pass from this life and listening to his or her dying wishes.
Cutting To The Chase:
The amazing thing about it every time, no matter what their walk of life was i.e. care-giver, electrician, docker, doctor, lawyer, policeman or life-hardened biker, I never once heard: i wish id treated my woman worse or i wish id beaten my kids more or i wish id hurt more people or i wish id broken more laws or i wish id taken plenty of drugs and become an alcoholic
in fact, theyve generally all said things like i wish id never divorced my soul mate or i wish id been a better dad/better mum or i wish i could have the time againits terribly sad witnessing all of these people, men and women, crying their final tears because theyve only now realised the lost opportunities and their regret for not doing it all differently..!
Heres my question to you and a question that i constantly keep in mind and ask myself:
What regrets or exactly what (and how many) I wish moments do you think you may have at the end of your life..? Any at all..?
Imagine lying next to your smashed up motorbike or inside your badly wrecked car or even in a hospital, with the curtains pulled around your bed giving you those last few minutes of privacy with a couple of your closest loved ones standing near and someone in the background saying: we can only give as much comfort as possiblewhat will you be wishing you could have changed or simply relived a better way..?
Why dont you just stop with the imagining and actually do something about it nowyoure not at that end point yet, so it isnt too late is it..?
Just make a list of all the things youd change and start making those changes or at least do something that negates the regret that you currently live with.
Its really not difficultjust like everything else thats worth doing, if you just put in the effort youll be where you want to be before you realise it and thats golden..!
So go live more, love more, live better, give more, be better and be good to others including strangerswhatever youve done wrong, make it right somehow and understand that its NEVER TOO LATE to live a happy and fully fulfilled life the stuff of dreams..!
A Final Anecdote:
Be bold, be adventurous, be you, love life and above all be somebody thats loved and gives love freely and easily and youll absolutely, without any doubt achieve what an awful lot of people never do a life of happiness, a life without sad regret so that you never have to wish for something different when its all but too late.
* * *
Before you go, heres a real nice poem from Alice Wyndham called When Time Runs Out its a big help to read this when someone whom you loved or respected has gone before you could tell him or her exactly what you really felt:
When time runs out and your heart needs to say so much more
But the heart that should hear it is gone now forever
And you are left with a raw nagging sore.
Then reach for your paper, your pen and your candle
And write though your heart it would burst.
No fears now restrain you; no judgment; no mock;
Write of your best, of your worst.
When your soul is then drained of its deepest regret
Then hold your true paper to the candles clear flame
That thought-laden smoke might reach to that heart
And ashes, a symbol of love, yet remain.
