IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER - by Erma Bombeck
(written after she found out she was dying from cancer).

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.
 
I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.
 
I would have talked less and listened more.
 
I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.
 
I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace...
 
I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.
 
I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.
 
I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.
 
I would have sat on the lawn with my grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life.
 
I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.
 
Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, 'Later. Now go get washed up for dinner.' There would have been more 'I love you's' and more 'I'm sorry's.'

But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute. Look at it and really see it. Live it and never give it back... STOP SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF!!!

Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more, or who's doing what.  Instead, let's cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us.

Hijustcruising01 Have read this before and the words are just so true,Having lost a sister through cancer and nearly loosing a husband we now realise that life is just so short and we have to cherish ever day as it could be our last. I have never worried over who has more than us. We are just grateful that hubby was given another chance at life and that is why we are on our working holiday around the big island, Life is just great Chris and Robbie

Ain't that the truth pal, I wonder how many of us do the same things because there is always tomorrow.  It takes a message like that one to open our eyes and realise we are not going to live forever.

I lost a husband to cancer a few years ago.  We had so many plans which never came about.
We had all the mod cons and were very comfortable.

I have now come to realise that material things don't mean a thing.

I am happier when Rob and I are in our van, admittedly we have it comfortable too and we have realised that the basics are all you need.

I wouldn't care if we lived in a tin shed, or a tent or a humpy with dirt floors as long as we have each other, some degree of good health and the ability to see our great country.............................then I am a very content lady.

how wonderful to hear that you are all doing fine and travelling along your way im always at my husband who smokes like a chimney lost his dad from cancer, his mum from emphysema last july and he hasnt taken a holiday in five years because we own our own business ,we employ a guy that could work for us without us here for at least two weeks ,but hubby worries (as they do) . But i too keep saying to him five more years and we need to think of putting in a plan of either buying a bus or something and going to see this wonderful country ive seen loads of it but he has seen none ,so fingers crossed hey?.

Keep working on him Glassies.   I to thought I was indestructable and that work would fall down in a heap if I didn't spend most of my time there.   A heart scare a couple of years ago sat me on my bum and forced a whole new outlook on what life should be about.   Work to live v Live to work.    I took an opportunity to change work locations and subsequently the work tempo decreased.  Still can enjoy work but it doesn't dominate life.  An old man once said to me "YOU CAN NEVER GET THE YEARS BACK."

All the best and keep trying.

Ian

I sincerely wish you luck, Glassies...it takes a big jolt before a workaholic business owner who thinks hes indispensable will learn to step back. And being a smoker too, its possible he'll get that jolt.

Ask him if hes made a will? It might make him see you are serious.

Why what a wonderful bunch you are ? how nice of you yes i too get around and hear so many many stories was at a xmas lunch and some lady was telling me how her husband has never taken a break and he had an aneurism (hope i got that spelling right) if i didnt oh well I never did like school lol but i consider ive done very well considering ,yes we do own our own business ,work wont fall around him to just take two weeks at least but i need at least three i want to get him up into the wilderness two weeks is not enough in this huge huge country of ours, i want to get him up into the cape area preferably head west to do that, i think that once i get him to do this he will never look back , if he does then it proves that we have difference in common because i always want to be on the road my mother said she could never figure me out said im a gypsy?. But ive moved around since i was seventeen and lived many places and perfected many jobs ive picked tomatoes, worked as a barmaid, waitress, did corn tassling in tamworth, im a typist , had heaps of homes i used to clean in port mcq nsw before i moved here to glass house mtns ,weve just boughta lovey house (or the bank have) but im sure that in at least five years i would like to sell up and decrease the amount of rubbish we collect these days and just tour, perhaps we could find some bush block cheap enough to come backto someplace in the future .You realy are all very lovely people thanks for the reply and ill keep on (nagging) as they say

Hi Glassies Keep on to that man of yours. We left Tassie last year and really havent looked back. We have met so many wonderful people and are both working part time in aged care. Hubby had a health scare as I told you and as he had worked in same job for 39 years and was time for something new. We got rid of our material stuff and hubby is so relaxed now and health is much better, Good luck in future and best wishes to you Chris and Robbie

I do intend to keep on to that man of mine, i dont want to wish him bad health but i can see it coming if he doesnt take a break nobody is invincible and we all need to take time out . Plans are to get some rig set up take him away some place sightseeing and relaxing and see how he feels, i think his hardest part as well is having to work for someone else as we couldnt do it without working, and hes been his own boss for five years now we own a vacuum excavation company called SUCKED In yep you heard it sucked in vacuum excavations we started off with five grand and nothing else hubby had a major accident a rock went flying into his eye and he had six stitches to the pupil ,so i had to sell my car to keep us going while he was off the road, he then got better and just passed his licence to be able to drive a truck again, so now we have two vacuum excavation trucks one a guy drives for us and the other hubby drives , some times there is not work for both trucks but you get that, we also just ventured into a septic truck its a bit slow and if it doesnt pick up we ill have to get rid of that one i think so huge loss there as the bloody permit alone it 2000 non gstable for a year ?. honestly government get you for anything. So best to start off small i think just get a rig set up put my food down tellhim we leavethe mobile with our worker and go away ,its all in the head got to get it to happen . Cheers to you all that did it ,im sure my hubby is not the only one that is findingit hard to think of working for somebody else, i too work for myself sort of , i clean peoples homes and they are not home so nobody around to tell me what to do, plus they dont need to ive always done my job and more. Take care all of you lovely people on them roads of ours.

Glassies,Hi,One thing that I have learnt in life and that is to "Pay yourself First"we only come this way once.Human nature being what it is and we like to have our Cave to live in and the only way that we have that is by doing what you and your husband are doing,working bloody hard.Just had an idea,I wonder if there are people on the Forum who run your business for a few weeks to allow you to have a break.A bit far fetched do you think,nothing ventured,nothing gained.Good luck Glassies,stay off the Bruce Hwy,give my regards to Mooloolaba.Cheers.Ibbo.

Hi Glassies , Alot of good advice& Kind words have been given on this post .
Work , a means to an end or some thing like that .we do have to do it to get some where.
Done two jobs for 14yrs ,day & night , wife worked night shift as well .ships in the night .
But it is still possible to fit some trips in as well .If you go back to my post ......
18yrs worth ......80% of this was done on annaul leave .
I realise its harder when working for your self ,remember we only pass this way once .Maybe you can read some of these posts to him at night LOL give him some thing to think about .
Cheers 

Just reading what the other are saying Glasses... My husband {Roger } went to work on night shift one evening...Then I go the dreaded call. There had been an accident.!!!!!That night, 8 yrs ago, changed our outlook on life forever. It took him 8 months to fully recover [he had his head squashed]. After that time , we decided to LIVE our lives..rather than just EXIST. Never once have we hesitated in looking for a new adventure. He still works at the same job, much to my disgust, and we are definately planning full retirement this year. Don't let work or health be an excuse.!!! I was very ill 4 years ago, Had more radical surgery 6 weeks ago, with more expected in Feb, but I'm damned if I will use that as an excuse to not enjoy life, and to us that means travelling, fossicing,meeting new people, and in general we feel we have our priorities right. Tell that husband of your that Ibbos suggestion really isn't so silly. Cheers Dellie

Thanks guys ,yep i keep saying to people that whine and go on about how they dont have anything, and yet i say well the only way is to work it doesnt come any other way unless you inherit it or win lotto?.

Ive been a worker since i was twelve years old i worked ina coffee shop after school in strathfield in sydney, so i know what work is about when my kids were little i worked as a cleaner for myself ( not a business, just drummed up untold customers )people called me there magical touch and passed information onto others next thing i was flat out cleaning three manions a day .

Alas i had a very unpleasant experience with a man i could not get away from but eventualy managed to do so , i havent looked back since ,i met graeme my husband who lived on gold coast at the time ,we married five years ago in a tiny church in witta out of maleny ,we wouldnt need some one to run our business realy for us as the dockets are paid monthly so i figured if we use our employee as in taking hubbys phone to take the bookings and we just come home after three weeks to a pile of paperwork for me to do im sure i can manage that ,its just that my hubby thinks about what if something breaks down etc etc , but we can check in when we need to with our employee, he lives about 45 min from us ,i know i now have my husband truly talking about taking abreak sometime this year so isnt that a start? i have had him doing this before though.

so ive just got to make it happen, thanks for all your help and advise though this site is wonderful, i had to giggle at the dellie ? as my name is Della so that was funny i used to get smelly delly as a kid from my elder sister lol.

Take care and i will keep you all informed of what or how i can make this plan happen .
Cheers to you all

-- Edited by glassies on Sunday 10th of January 2010 03:52:57 PM