My first thought was to say that I don’t have the luxury to relive a day, but rather to be grateful for each moment and live into the next. There is, however, a special day that remains penultimate: Adoption day. You see, I had long believed a relative may have been my biological mother, as she had been my mother in every way that counted. A legal adoption rendered us so for what was to be two more years before her death. It was a gloriously poignant day.
If I could live ONE day over, what day would it be? Why?
EACH earthly live is one more day in the classroom of LIFE, and this current earthly life contains all the best of all previous lives so I am “living them over” right now.
Listen to your life…touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it, because in the last analysis all moments are key moments and life itself is grace.
FREDERICK BUECHNER
I would want to spend one more day with my husband. To be able to say goodbye to him one more time. To be able to lay in his arms one more time. That would be the biggest thrill and the most joyous day I could have.
I traveled to Washington, DC my senior year of high school for my gifted trip. I spent one of the best days of my life with my friends visiting the National Zoo. The friendship we shared, the joy we shared experiencing the zoo, the excitement of a serious relationship I started that day….I know we can’t go back but I would love to experience the bliss I felt that day one more time before I leave this planet.
I love the play OUR TOWN by Thornton Wilder. I taught it several years to high school students. I have seen numerous stage productions. It is one of my favorite plays. In the play, Emily gets to go back and relive a day. She chooses, if I remember correctly, her twelfth birthday. She is excited about going back on this special day. However, she finds that the reliving the day does not live up to her expectations. Yes, she loves the day and loves seeing her parents and remembering the litt...
I love the play OUR TOWN by Thornton Wilder. I taught it several years to high school students. I have seen numerous stage productions. It is one of my favorite plays. In the play, Emily gets to go back and relive a day. She chooses, if I remember correctly, her twelfth birthday. She is excited about going back on this special day. However, she finds that the reliving the day does not live up to her expectations. Yes, she loves the day and loves seeing her parents and remembering the little things that happened that day. However, in the end, she was somewhat disappointed. Her parents were much younger and it seemed that all of the family did not understand the importance of the day. Is it possible for us to live each day understanding what is happening and why? I think we can never go back and relive a day if we take the knowledge and experience that we have today back with us on this special day. As Emily found, the most ordinary day turns out to be one of the grandest days of her life; she recognized the grandness of the day because she is reflecting upon it. It winds up being depressing to her because, at the time, she did not recognize that ordinary day as being one of the grandest days of her life. In truth, none of us do.
Nathaniel Hawthorne writes in a short story about four friends who are able to go back in time and relieve a day. The four friends find that you cannot go back and relive a day. Unfortunately even knowing what you know in the present, you will go back and make the same mistakes.
So really, I cannot pick one day, and I am glad. Every day with its sorrows and happiness is a building block for the next day. I remember many happy times; luckily I have forgotten some of the sad moments. Yet at the time, these sad moments added to my ability to face the future. I think that I had rather keep the picture of that day in my mind as I remember it, instead of finding out that my memories are all wrong.
That regionals cross country meet my senior year of high school! I totally would’ve made it to State, but went out way too fast! That is a day I wish I could do over again. It wasn’t the end of the world, but it would’ve been so wonderful if I had used my opportunity wisely.
A day in the summer of 2016 when the veil lifted for a few hours, when I was able to glimpse the ultimate reality of our interconnectedness — me with a city tree, some sparrows, and all of the strangers passing by — through practicing “The Gentle Art of Blessing.” Experiencing all the love flowing through me. I’d like to live this day over and over until my heart remembers to stay so open for all of my days to come.
Thank you, Sheila. It was a profound experience that I have not, so far, been able to really translate, but for which I am deeply, deeply grateful. If you are curious about the practice, you can find more on the website gentleartofblessing.org.
The birth of my son. Because I always wanted to do something amazing, to be relevant and necessary in some way. At that moment, at least, I became everything to someone else. Even if it only lasted a short while (he’s a college student now), I’m grateful for that amazing time of life.
Hello Danette, what a heart-warming reflection, thank you! I really love your profile image. It reminds me of one of my favorite children’s book authors, Eric Carle, and his wonderful book “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?”
Thank you And I remember that book. One of my treasured memories is reading The Hungry Caterpillar to my son every day for his first year of preschool.
The first answer that comes to mind is a day spent traveling with my partner. I have a few particular days in mind, certain places we have been and memories that stick with me. But just about any day taking a hike together and having a good meal afterwards would do.
This question makes me see that every day matters and as Aine points out” everything that has gone before has led to where I am now, to what I have become and am becoming..”.
And I see regret as wishing some days were lived more fully, joyfully with an open heart and most importantly, TRUST that it is all part of the unfolding of life, with fewer regrets or yearnings….
HI Anna,
Good to hear from you too!
I realized that I had some regrets about spending more time in my role as hospice volunteer......one of the clients died recently and had to keep in mind that it was the time I did spend that counted the most...singing, giving healing energy and being present.....
It reminds me to let go... and realize the choices and actions I take are all I have no matter how much I cause myself suffering by wishing them to be different.
Gratefulness is here for that.......
HI Anna,
Good to hear from you too!
I realized that I had some regrets about spending more time in my role as hospice volunteer……one of the clients died recently and had to keep in mind that it was the time I did spend that counted the most…singing, giving healing energy and being present…..
It reminds me to let go… and realize the choices and actions I take are all I have no matter how much I cause myself suffering by wishing them to be different.
Gratefulness is here for that….Thanks!
Without a doubt, it’d be the day I got married. And not because I want to change anything–on the contrary! It was the happiest day of my life, and I’d love to experience all that joy again.
This is a hard question. I know that everything that has gone before has led me to where I am now, to who I have become and am becoming. I am thankful for that. You cannot yank out one bit without affecting all the rest.
That said, if there was one day I would do differently, it would be my wedding day. We had no doubts about marrying each other and were happy in that regard. But. We were contending with great familial dysfunction on both sides that robbed that time of its joy. It turned it i...
This is a hard question. I know that everything that has gone before has led me to where I am now, to who I have become and am becoming. I am thankful for that. You cannot yank out one bit without affecting all the rest.
That said, if there was one day I would do differently, it would be my wedding day. We had no doubts about marrying each other and were happy in that regard. But. We were contending with great familial dysfunction on both sides that robbed that time of its joy. It turned it into a time of shame, guilt, and frustration.
If I had it to do over, I would give up attempting to please those who could not be pleased and who were seeking to mar our day and our new life together. I would give up, walk away, and elope with the love of my life off into our future together. Had we put ourselves in the right position then, I think many of the decisions that came after would have been made with greater awareness and better thinking.
I’d also like to add that it is not too late! My husband and I did walk away completely from our respective family messes for good last year, and we are now in the midst of creating that life of our own that is protected from those who have sought to harm it and us all these years. It has taken us great strength, courage, and facing of pain to do this, but things are now moving in a happier direction.
Thank you, grateful. It has taken many years and tears to reach this point, but I am thankful to be where I am. There is much sadness in walking away, but there is much freedom, too. Blessings to you.
My answer would be that I definitely have regrets, but I have said “I am sorry” to the people I have hurt. As it says in “Conversations with God”-regret is instructive while guilt is debilitating. I am so grateful that by the Grace of God I have come to the point that I am able to say “I am sorry”.
Wishing everyone a beautiful day!????
The day I got married. It is the most important day so far of my life. I would give myself permission to feel the courage it took to start a brand new life in a new country. And say yay! you are so brave.
My first thought was to say that I don’t have the luxury to relive a day, but rather to be grateful for each moment and live into the next. There is, however, a special day that remains penultimate: Adoption day. You see, I had long believed a relative may have been my biological mother, as she had been my mother in every way that counted. A legal adoption rendered us so for what was to be two more years before her death. It was a gloriously poignant day.
If I could live ONE day over, what day would it be? Why?
EACH earthly live is one more day in the classroom of LIFE, and this current earthly life contains all the best of all previous lives so I am “living them over” right now.
Listen to your life…touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it, because in the last analysis all moments are key moments and life itself is grace.
FREDERICK BUECHNER
I would want to spend one more day with my husband. To be able to say goodbye to him one more time. To be able to lay in his arms one more time. That would be the biggest thrill and the most joyous day I could have.
Dear JoAnn, that is so beautiful! I am sorry for your loss and I hold you in light wishing you peace today.
A day when I felt the love from my son and daughter…..
I heard Rumi been cited by Coleman Barks. Essential help from this one day is moving me. With deep gratefulness I bow to you.
“What was said to the rose
to made it open
was said to me
here in my chest.”
I traveled to Washington, DC my senior year of high school for my gifted trip. I spent one of the best days of my life with my friends visiting the National Zoo. The friendship we shared, the joy we shared experiencing the zoo, the excitement of a serious relationship I started that day….I know we can’t go back but I would love to experience the bliss I felt that day one more time before I leave this planet.
I love the play OUR TOWN by Thornton Wilder. I taught it several years to high school students. I have seen numerous stage productions. It is one of my favorite plays. In the play, Emily gets to go back and relive a day. She chooses, if I remember correctly, her twelfth birthday. She is excited about going back on this special day. However, she finds that the reliving the day does not live up to her expectations. Yes, she loves the day and loves seeing her parents and remembering the litt...
I love the play OUR TOWN by Thornton Wilder. I taught it several years to high school students. I have seen numerous stage productions. It is one of my favorite plays. In the play, Emily gets to go back and relive a day. She chooses, if I remember correctly, her twelfth birthday. She is excited about going back on this special day. However, she finds that the reliving the day does not live up to her expectations. Yes, she loves the day and loves seeing her parents and remembering the little things that happened that day. However, in the end, she was somewhat disappointed. Her parents were much younger and it seemed that all of the family did not understand the importance of the day. Is it possible for us to live each day understanding what is happening and why? I think we can never go back and relive a day if we take the knowledge and experience that we have today back with us on this special day. As Emily found, the most ordinary day turns out to be one of the grandest days of her life; she recognized the grandness of the day because she is reflecting upon it. It winds up being depressing to her because, at the time, she did not recognize that ordinary day as being one of the grandest days of her life. In truth, none of us do.
Nathaniel Hawthorne writes in a short story about four friends who are able to go back in time and relieve a day. The four friends find that you cannot go back and relive a day. Unfortunately even knowing what you know in the present, you will go back and make the same mistakes.
So really, I cannot pick one day, and I am glad. Every day with its sorrows and happiness is a building block for the next day. I remember many happy times; luckily I have forgotten some of the sad moments. Yet at the time, these sad moments added to my ability to face the future. I think that I had rather keep the picture of that day in my mind as I remember it, instead of finding out that my memories are all wrong.
The last day I saw my bestfriend, who lives really far away from me. She needs some hugs right now…
I don’t want to live any day over again. I am here now. If I go backwards, would be nowhere.
That regionals cross country meet my senior year of high school! I totally would’ve made it to State, but went out way too fast! That is a day I wish I could do over again. It wasn’t the end of the world, but it would’ve been so wonderful if I had used my opportunity wisely.
Wow….I believe that there is not one single day that I would want to live again…not one.
A day in the summer of 2016 when the veil lifted for a few hours, when I was able to glimpse the ultimate reality of our interconnectedness — me with a city tree, some sparrows, and all of the strangers passing by — through practicing “The Gentle Art of Blessing.” Experiencing all the love flowing through me. I’d like to live this day over and over until my heart remembers to stay so open for all of my days to come.
Grateful sea, oh what a beautiful experience!!! It touched my heart, thank-you so much for sharing it!
Blessings and peace.
Thank you, Sheila. It was a profound experience that I have not, so far, been able to really translate, but for which I am deeply, deeply grateful. If you are curious about the practice, you can find more on the website gentleartofblessing.org.
Thank-you grateful sea, for the website info.!!
You are welcome.
The birth of my son. Because I always wanted to do something amazing, to be relevant and necessary in some way. At that moment, at least, I became everything to someone else. Even if it only lasted a short while (he’s a college student now), I’m grateful for that amazing time of life.
Hello Danette, what a heart-warming reflection, thank you! I really love your profile image. It reminds me of one of my favorite children’s book authors, Eric Carle, and his wonderful book “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?”
Thank you
And I remember that book. One of my treasured memories is reading The Hungry Caterpillar to my son every day for his first year of preschool.
Ooo, that is a good one too, with the hole in each page for the caterpillar to climb/munch through! What a very sweet memory it must be for you.
The first answer that comes to mind is a day spent traveling with my partner. I have a few particular days in mind, certain places we have been and memories that stick with me. But just about any day taking a hike together and having a good meal afterwards would do.
This question makes me see that every day matters and as Aine points out” everything that has gone before has led to where I am now, to what I have become and am becoming..”.
And I see regret as wishing some days were lived more fully, joyfully with an open heart and most importantly, TRUST that it is all part of the unfolding of life, with fewer regrets or yearnings….
Dear Gina, so happy to see you again! And I agree with you and Aine!
HI Anna,
Good to hear from you too!
I realized that I had some regrets about spending more time in my role as hospice volunteer......one of the clients died recently and had to keep in mind that it was the time I did spend that counted the most...singing, giving healing energy and being present.....
It reminds me to let go... and realize the choices and actions I take are all I have no matter how much I cause myself suffering by wishing them to be different.
Gratefulness is here for that.......
HI Anna,
Good to hear from you too!
I realized that I had some regrets about spending more time in my role as hospice volunteer……one of the clients died recently and had to keep in mind that it was the time I did spend that counted the most…singing, giving healing energy and being present…..
It reminds me to let go… and realize the choices and actions I take are all I have no matter how much I cause myself suffering by wishing them to be different.
Gratefulness is here for that….Thanks!
dear Gina, I am sure your time spent singing was a balm with that fellow. your volunteering with dying pepole, is such a noble deed.
yes, a privilege for sure…sad nonetheless
Hope you are well,
glad to hear from you and be back on gratefulness site
Without a doubt, it’d be the day I got married. And not because I want to change anything–on the contrary! It was the happiest day of my life, and I’d love to experience all that joy again.
This is a hard question. I know that everything that has gone before has led me to where I am now, to who I have become and am becoming. I am thankful for that. You cannot yank out one bit without affecting all the rest.
That said, if there was one day I would do differently, it would be my wedding day. We had no doubts about marrying each other and were happy in that regard. But. We were contending with great familial dysfunction on both sides that robbed that time of its joy. It turned it i...
This is a hard question. I know that everything that has gone before has led me to where I am now, to who I have become and am becoming. I am thankful for that. You cannot yank out one bit without affecting all the rest.
That said, if there was one day I would do differently, it would be my wedding day. We had no doubts about marrying each other and were happy in that regard. But. We were contending with great familial dysfunction on both sides that robbed that time of its joy. It turned it into a time of shame, guilt, and frustration.
If I had it to do over, I would give up attempting to please those who could not be pleased and who were seeking to mar our day and our new life together. I would give up, walk away, and elope with the love of my life off into our future together. Had we put ourselves in the right position then, I think many of the decisions that came after would have been made with greater awareness and better thinking.
I’d also like to add that it is not too late! My husband and I did walk away completely from our respective family messes for good last year, and we are now in the midst of creating that life of our own that is protected from those who have sought to harm it and us all these years. It has taken us great strength, courage, and facing of pain to do this, but things are now moving in a happier direction.
Dear Aine, this is really very beautiful. I have deep respect for your journey and your sharing it here. Happy tears for you.
Thank you, grateful. It has taken many years and tears to reach this point, but I am thankful to be where I am. There is much sadness in walking away, but there is much freedom, too. Blessings to you.
I have been living amazing experiences and in this moment, I believe is impossible to me, to think of any that I would like to do over.
My answer would be that I definitely have regrets, but I have said “I am sorry” to the people I have hurt. As it says in “Conversations with God”-regret is instructive while guilt is debilitating. I am so grateful that by the Grace of God I have come to the point that I am able to say “I am sorry”.
Wishing everyone a beautiful day!????
The day I got married. It is the most important day so far of my life. I would give myself permission to feel the courage it took to start a brand new life in a new country. And say yay! you are so brave.
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