.Photo by Jim Meredith@ jim-meeredith.com
I realized lately that I have been saying to myself that I would give anything to be young and strong. I would give anything to feel great everyday at the crack of dawn, plus for the whole day, falling into a well-deserved slumber the whole night through. I tell myself, I’d give anything to do this and that, here and there. I say to myself I’d give anything to be thin at will. I realized this negative self-talk when three big burly brutes set up tables and chairs for a gathering at our home in twenty-four hours. I said to the boss, “Enjoy you youth and your strength, because I’d give anything to be strong like you fellows.” Then and there, I realized my lie.
Well, I’ll have you know, I am totally lying to myself by saying I’ll give anything because I will not. I realize I am begrudging myself as I am. I am telling myself I want to go backwards when in reality all we all have is to go forward.
I would never give up my home, my family, my friends, and life as it is for anything. Faced with a trade off, I would end up the same as I entered. That’s the truth. I would never change my health situation for something someone else has because there is too much out there that I will not trade even for a second.
So if you say or hear anyone say, “I’d give anything for this or that, they are lying to themselves and don’t even know it. It gives them a momentary spurt of influence, but not a reality.
Sheilaclapkin's Blog; 
Nov 23, 2015 @ 10:36:37
Very few things would I change even if presented with the opportunity. Most probably none. Very wise and astute for you to see the impossibility of going back.
Would be nice to be young again BUT……….
Nov 23, 2015 @ 11:41:22
Tom,
It would be nice to look at life again as a youngster, but probably for only 15 or 20 minutes. I’m sure it would not be as splendid as we think we remember. Like you say But…
Nov 27, 2015 @ 16:25:07
What have I been preaching for years? PRESENCE!!! I think we refer to it as “Refer to page 4” but I forget where that term started
Nov 27, 2015 @ 16:31:40
Keith,
Presence!! You are so right. I do believe we say: “Refer to page 40. At least you have half of it right! Thank you for reading and commenting. Keeps me on the right road.
Sheila
Nov 27, 2015 @ 17:10:05
Nicely written piece, and very thought-provoking. We won’t be who we are if we’d lived different lives.
Nov 28, 2015 @ 11:23:25
Sheryl,
Thank you for your specialized response. Sometimes things come to you neatly wrapped and easy to write. Other times it is more difficult. This was one to ponder and enjoy. Happy times with your family and friends.
Nov 29, 2015 @ 13:25:23
True, true, true!!!
Sent from my iPhone
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Dec 01, 2015 @ 12:29:30
You surely do get me. Sometimes I go off, but you can tell me!
Nov 29, 2015 @ 16:57:36
It is easy to say, but things we would change would leave us with those things ( people) that would not be in our lives now
Dec 01, 2015 @ 12:28:20
Yes, very much so yes. We wouldn’t make changes because you are right, how could we give up the ones we love. I didn’t think of that point of view. Thank you sweet Ellen.
Dec 07, 2015 @ 08:51:15
You have spoken the truth here. Sometimes I find myself wasting my precious time rethinking decisions made in the past and the “what if” and “if only” but I wouldn’t be who I am, have what I have, know what I know. None of us would.
Dec 08, 2015 @ 09:27:14
One thought I have never shared and it is a “what if”. WE lived in a lovely part the City of Los Angeles called Cheviot Hills. Our family grew and grew, 7 of us. Finally we had to make a move. Our question was to stay in the city or move to the Valley Beyond. We moved to the valley beyond. Every so often we talk about how our lives would be different and how the lives of our children would be different if we stayed in the city and NOT moved to the Valley Beyond!!!