JOURNAL ENTRY

MORNING PAGES

Today is my granddaughter’s 8th birthday. Time goes by so quickly.

Life is a series of adventures that become your life. I keep writing that phrase and it lingers in my mind waiting for a chance to be used.

Life is unbelievable. It calls out to you to live your best life. It hungers for a chance to become great or for you to use your God-given talents rather than burying them.

Could it be that we’re afraid to step out of the “label” that we wear given to us by family, friends, and teachers? Is it too difficult to shine or to take the high road and live our dreams? Is it easier to suffer depression, sadness, or worst of all regret for not living our best life?

Will we cry at heaven’s door, not now Lord, I haven’t finished my novel? Whenever somebody dies, I often wonder, did they live their dreams or did they die with regrets.

I often ask my older brother, “Have you ever imagined how great we might have become if we didn’t have a crazy childhood?”

We talked about how our younger brother always played his two wooden drum sticks on everything in our house.

“Why didn’t our parents buy him drums?” my brother asked. “He might have become a musician.”

“Because they didn’t have any dreams themselves so they couldn’t nurture ours,” I said.

“I remember you always wanted to become a writer. At least you’re writing now.”

What I didn’t tell him that it took my second near-death experience before I picked up my pen to write and it’s been a long process.

My younger cousin, Allen John McMinn died last week. I regret that we didn’t spend more time together. Thirty or more years ago, when most of our cousins attended our Uncle Jack’s funeral, Allen and I decided that it was crazy that we only saw our family when somebody died. We arranged a family reunion on the Island. It only happened twice.

The last time I saw Allen was approximately three years ago at our Auntie Noreen’s funeral and now I’m going to his memorial on Friday. Allen, till we meet in heaven.

I hate regrets. What will you regret?