Don't Have Regrets, Do It

7/7/2018 | Wuli

[Wuli]

Don't have regrets, do it.

Coulda, woulda, shoulda don't get it; do it.

One of my greatest ever friends died today. He was my church youth and teen activities counselor when I was growing up. I knew of him and sort of knew him for years before I was a teen, and he was still serving as the youth leader when I became a teen.

He was a very dynamic, energetic and motivating man. He came by our home with an older brother of mine one day, at a point when I wss really in a deppression and with no clue what to do with my life (hated thinking about college as I could not see myself with a special interest in any career - nothing, zip, nada). I was seeing myself as totally lost after high school was over.

He invited me to join him with my teen age group (Methodist Youth Fellowship) the coming Sunday evening, and the rest of my life is history. It got me out of my funk, out of my shell, gave me self-confidence, widened my circle of friends and he, in all our convsersations made a huge impact on me.

I later left California more than 40 years ago and settled here on the east coast. I tried to see him over the years, nearly every time I made it to California. I did see him last spring.

Then I did not get over to the church (yes he was still going there at 99 yrs old), or to his house when I was in California this January. I did not even know that he had been moved to a nursing home ( he would have been 100 next month).

I won't go into the real financial poverty of this man who gave his all in commitment to working in the church, particularly with the youth, and even did so in his 80s.

I often just fantasized about things I wanted to do for him, and then my excuses would be my own life and the distance between us, ect., ect., ect.

You know what, we can chose which things we want to make our excuses for, and it does not always have to be the ect., ect., ect. stuff. Sometimes that will get taken care of, even if we move to do the things we don't want to regret not doing.

I am not now, nor am I going to batter myself over the head. But I do know I am going to try to not have again the kinds of regrets I have about the time and energy I did not get to share with someone who was actually every bit as important to the shaping of my life as my parents.

Think about your truly greatest people in your life, and don't have times you'll look back and say you coulda, woulda, shoulda done more with them.

Just do it.

[trebb]

Age gives us perspective that would serve us well during the earlier years - God Bless.

[mplsconservative]

I am so, so sorry for the loss of your son. I can’t even begin to imagine the heartache you must feel. Thank you for your words of encouragement. You are a wonderful person to share such words when you are hurting yourself. I appreciate your kind thoughts very much.

[mplsconservative]

Thank you Mrs. Don-o. These are scary times, indeed. I am grateful for your prayers. The Lord never abandons us especially in the dark times. We just have to seek his face.