Susan's Thursday morning note October 19, 2006 Regrets in Life. Forgiving yourself. For One More Day by Mitch Alborn
Good morning! One cup of coffee has been downed and I am ready to try to think. This week I read the new release For One More Day by Mitch Alborn (author of Tuesdays with Morrie and The Five People You Meet in Heaven). The main character in this book, upon a close call with death, spent an afternoon with his deceased mother. Throughout the day with his mother she encourages him to stop living with so many regrets, to forgive himself, to choose to live for the future, not rehashing what you’d like to have another chance at from your past. Replaying in this character’s mind what he’d done & said to his mother throughout his life letting her down, realizing now what sacrifices she had been making all along for him. He dealt with divorce of his parents, failed career, failed marriage. Encouragement to FORGIVE yourself.
I kept thinking of a main regret in my life. The evening that my mom died she asked me to stay, not to call in someone for relieving me. She had had the best day in several weeks, was talking away to me, holding my hand, smiling at me with her frail, thin face. I chose to call my cousin to come over, and then went to Red Lobster for a good meal. She then died that night so I never had a chance to talk to her again. I just have always felt so badly about that. She hadn’t talked in weeks – what else had she wanted to tell me, to express to me that night?
That just kept replaying itself to me as I read the book above. Then, as the mother said, “Forgive yourself.- Go on, use your energies for the future.” I realize this is easier said than done, but maybe this little note will help you to give yourself a break and begin some of your relationships (even with yourself) again. Call someone that you haven’t had the nerve to call in a long time because of something you feel badly about, read some books that encourage you, take time for yourself. We give others breaks in life – it’s time to give breaks to ourselves.
So there! I don’t have anything funny to tell you today, so I won’t even try! UPS brought 48 boxes yesterday – you can hardly even walk in the store. I can’t wait to have you see it all. Come soon if you get the chance for your kids gifts – a lot of the products aren’t available later in the season for me to reorder. Thank you so much for your business, your encouragement, and your friendships. Thanks for spreading the word about our little store. Come anytime just to get out of your house – we want you to feel comfortable just reading in the corner. Have a great fall weekend! Don’t forget we’re open until 8 on Thursday nights if that works better for you! Susan
Work Cited:
Albom, Mitch. For One More Day. New York: Hyperion P, 2006.