My response to this week's writer's workshop at Sleep is for the Weak. I chose prompt # 3: What new skill would you love to learn, or have you learnt something new recently that you can share with us?
I think about this sort of thing a lot lately. It was a big thing right after the movie, The Bucket List, came out - accomplishing all those things we put off, but really want to do. I created a life list. But it fell into the background like things tend to do when I'm busy, crazy, and lazy. A strange combination, but a perpetual state for me at times.
And then my mother passed away unexpectedly last year. She was awake at night, talking to me about random stuff, and the next morning she was dead. No warning, no nothing. And part of my whole grieving process has been a sadness for her because I know she didn't accomplish all that she wanted. Logically, I know that most of us will never accomplish everything we want. We aren't granted the infinite amount of time to conquer the dreams our minds can think up. But we can do some of it. We can make ourselves happy and try new things and live each day like it's the last.
Over the past six months, my life list has come back to forefront of things. I've started being more open and more courageous and mostly, more willing to fail. It's part of why I never did number eight on my life list - learn the guitar - because I was afraid I'd be so bad. It's funny this prompt appears now when I'm in the midst of what I've been calling my "year of me." A time to focus on myself and not feel bad about it, a time to learn who I am and who I want to be and the journey to get from here to there. The chance to start learning all those things I've always put off for another day.
One thing I still want to learn: I have not conquered number eight - learn the guitar yet. I really do want to learn how to play.
One thing I've learned recently that I can share: there are no guarantees in life and we only get one chance at this thing - might as well be happy while we're at it.
1 comment:
I really admire you for this.
There is so much stuff that I put off, or chicken out of because I am scared I will fail.
But you are right, life is short and there is nothing sadder than dreams that got given a chance.
Thank you for this.
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