One Life To Live (No,not the Soap Opera.)

[Borderstone]

If you were granted the ability "to live" in "one" of the many periods of your "life",what would you choose?

Now,those of you under 20 only have 1 maybe 2 answers but I'd like to hear them anyhow.

I'd choose 1970 to 1978,reason being (besides being past the "baby" stages) is that I was a toddler to a 10 year old and life's biggest worries were an eternity away.
I could just go to school and play with friends and have summer vacarions...free!
(Sort of.)

I'm not sure if I'd want to include falling in love for the first time. If not then I'd stop at the end of Aug. of '78 and do it all over agin! I'd never get tired of it!
It's been me and I'm off to bed 'cause as the world turns,I'm still one of the young and the restless! Later!

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"A knight of the road,going back to a place where he might get warm." - Borderstone



[This message has been edited by Borderstone (edited August 06, 2004).]

[Auburn Annie]

1972-1982 - my 20s; healthy, working, last time I was that skinny, met my husband, still before kids <g>.

[brink]

1979-1983 in my twenties Already had kids so that was done with, before my husband died. I was skinny too! AND I was young. Had a ton of friends and had the energy to go do a lot of stuff. Oh to do it again. <sigh>

[LSH]

I'm liking 40, the here and now just fine. The past is too full of, well, ok...bad stuff. I'm more than willing to keep it there!
Maybe my early thirties, if I could do it differently. yeah, for sure.

[TheWatchman]

I don't think I would want to go back unless I could apply what I have learned. If I could do that then I would go back to 16, study my ass off, never smoke, be more careful with girls, study my ass off in college, not smoke, go to grad school, turn around and run when I meet my eventually ex-wife, find a good woman instead, not smoke.

The future is much more interesting that the past to me. I can't think of a single period I'd want to go back to. Been there, done that, why do it again?

I echo the last three replies. I turned 40 last Xmas Eve, and my life the past few years has been the happiest it's ever been. Why turn back the clock?

I suppose that if, I too, could apply what I know now, I would have studied harder in college (1981-83), and made more of an effort in the ten years that followed. But I didn't, and while I have regrets, I believe I have a pretty good life now anyway.

Think about it. If you went back and tweaked the past to make things better now, is that an actual guarantee that your second run at life in 2004 would be happier?

So yeah, my own temptation is to make a couple of minor alterations, but minor from way back when could develop into a profound effect in the present time.

David in Sweden

[Borderstone]

Interesting answers all! I know I wouldn't change anything about my childhood,even my parent's divorce.

I'd more likely try to change things after we moved to AZ but I know...you can't go back but just work on today and tomorrow.

Been me,later!

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"A knight of the road,going back to a place where he might get warm." - Borderstone

I would however like to give up something. I'd like to give up knowing how it feels to loose someone you care about. If I could loose that memory and live without the knowledge of how that feels I think I'd accept whatever time and place it puts me in. But the kicker is I don't ever want to feel it again. I'll go back, but only if I never have to feel that again.

Don't know about your Gods, but mine won't go for the deal, I've tried.

[LSH]

My God won't either. live with it, learn what you can from it, and move on.
raw deal sometimes, huh?

[TheWatchman]

quote:Originally posted by violet Blue Horse:
I would however like to give up something. I'd like to give up knowing how it feels to loose someone you care about. If I could loose that memory and live without the knowledge of how that feels I think I'd accept whatever time and place it puts me in. But the kicker is I don't ever want to feel it again. I'll go back, but only if I never have to feel that again.

Don't know about your Gods, but mine won't go for the deal, I've tried.

Just part of the deal with doing life on planet Earth I guess. Sometimes life really sucks, and other times it can't possibly be any better. Having to say goodbye (if your fortunate enough to have that privledge)is gut wrenching, to put it mildly. I guess if the good times outweigh the bad times, that's all we can ask for and be darned grateful for it. Either way, Lightfoot's music has been there for each step along the path for me.

[LSH]

That's it Watchman. Perfectly said.
I think it's those rare shining moments that make it all worthwhile...

[Borderstone]

All I can say is "ditto" LSH & Watchman.

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"A knight of the road,going back to a place where he might get warm." - Borderstone

Someone I care about was just diagnosed with emphysema. They're also scheduling a biopsy for a spot they found in his lungs. He's been cancer free for almost 8 years after the last go around.

It's deja-vu; different person, different time, different place same despicable nightmare.


quote:Originally posted by LSH:
My God won't either. live with it, learn what you can from it, and move on.
raw deal sometimes, huh?

[LSH]

Ah baby, I'm so, so sorry.
No words...<hug>

Thank you. I'm better today. It was just a shock. It's not like I pick the people in my life by how healthy they look or anything, but I just so don't want to go through that again and I didn't see this coming. He's only 62, never smoked a day in his life, in great shape, does everything you're supposed to do. It's enough to make you want to eat Ding Dongs and T-bone steaks and play in traffic.

quote:Originally posted by LSH:
Ah baby, I'm so, so sorry.
No words...<hug>

[Auburn Annie]

My maternal grandfather had emphysema; it's primarily but not exclusively caused by smoking. About 10% have never smoked. Some people (3%, usually under age 55) have a deficiency of the alpha 1-antitrypsin enzyme that seems to trigger it; in others it's due to rare metabolic disorders, HIV, intravenous drug use, or connective tissue disorders like Marfan syndrome. The Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine has an article (in PDF format) at http://www.ccjm.org/pdffiles/LEE1202.PDF

Emphysema isn't curable (yet) but can be treated. They've come a long way in treatments since my grandfather developed it in the mid 1960s. And every day there's news on the gene therapy front. I'm sure your friend and the doctors will be looking at all the possibilities.

[This message has been edited by Auburn Annie (edited August 11, 2004).]

[LSH]

quote:Originally posted by violet Blue Horse:
Thank you. I'm better today. It was just a shock. It's not like I pick the people in my life by how healthy they look or anything, but I just so don't want to go through that again and I didn't see this coming. He's only 62, never smoked a day in his life, in great shape, does everything you're supposed to do. It's enough to make you want to eat Ding Dongs and T-bone steaks and play in traffic.



I hear ya. Run with scissors, even.
Our capacity to adapt is amazing. It's a good survival mechanism. And I believe people find each other for a reason, if only for a season. I'm sure it is important to him to have his friends in his life, especially now. I will keep good thoughts for your friend and you.

[Borderstone]

I almost forgot my own topic! Been almost 20 days. Laurel,I'm with you on that one!

Sometimes when I wake up in the morning (or Noon on my day off) I'm sometimes a little amazed that I'm still going. Despite the good,the bad and the ugly things that come my way (the good stuff being the easiest) I wonder how I keep getting up and walking out my front door each day.

I'd give a synopsis of my everyday life but I think the point's best made without it. Been me. Later

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"A knight of the road,going back to a place where he might get warm." - Borderstone

I just read this Annie. We were all talking the other day, and his wife wonders if weekly doses of drag racing nitro fumes for who knows how many years might have something to do with the emphysema?

quote:Originally posted by Auburn Annie:
My maternal grandfather had emphysema; it's primarily but not exclusively caused by smoking. About 10% have never smoked.

[This message has been edited by Auburn Annie (edited August 11, 2004).]

[Patti]

I know someone who got to go back in time when he 3 or 4 years old. God put the whole world on pause and let him go to Joseph and Mary's house and visit with them and their baby, Jesus.