Erma Bombeck's Letter

To all the wonderful ladies! Erma Bombeck's Letter To all the awesome
Â:censor:women out there, In honor of women's history month and in memory of Erma
Â:censor:Bombeck who lost her fight with cancer.

Â:censor:IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER - by Erma Bombeck (Written after she found
out she was dying from cancer.)

Â:censor:I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth
Â:censor:would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

Â:censor:I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted
Â:censor:in storage.

Â:censor:I would have talked less and listened more.

Â:censor:I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was
Â:censor:stained, or the sofa faded.

Â:censor:I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much
Â:censor:less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

Â:censor:I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his
Â:censor:youth.

Â:censor:I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.

Â:censor:I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day
Â:censor:because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

Â:censor:I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass
Â:censor:stains.

Â:censor:I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more
Â:censor:while watching life.

Â:censor:I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't
Â:censor:show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Â:censor:Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every
Â:censor:moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only
Â:censor:chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

Â:censor:When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now
Â:censor:go get washed up for dinner."

Â:censor:There would have been more "I love you's." More "I'm sorry's."

Â:censor:But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute...look
Â:censor:at it and really see it ... live it ... and never give it back.

Â:censor:Stop sweating the small stuff. Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who
Â:censor:has more, or who's doing what. Instead, let's cherish the relationships we
Â:censor:have with those who do love us.

Â:censor:Let's think about what God HAS blessed us with. And what we are doing each
Â:censor:day to promote ourselves mentally, physically, emotionally, as well as
Â:censor:spiritually. Life is too short to let it pass you by. We only haveone shot
Â:censor:at this and then it's gone.

Â:censor:I hope you all have a blessed day. Beautiful Women's Month
Â:censor:Age 3: She looks at herself and sees a Queen.
Â:censor:Age 8: She looks at herself and sees Cinderella.
Â:censor:Age 15: She looks at herself and sees an Ugly Sister (Mom I can't go to
Â:censor:school looking like this!)
Â:censor:Age 20: She looks at herself and sees "too fat/too thin, too short/too
Â:censor:tall, too straight/too curly"- but decides she's going out anyway.
Â:censor:Age 30: She looks at herself and sees "too fat/too thin, too short/too
Â:censor:tall, too straight/too curly" - but decides she doesn't have time toÂ:censor: fix
Â:censor:it, so she's going out anyway.
Â:censor:Age 40: She looks at herself and sees "too fat/too thin, too short/too
Â:censor:tall, too straight/too curly" - but says, "At least, I am "clean" and goes
Â:censorut anyway.
Â:censor:Age 50: She looks at herself and sees "I am" and goes wherever she wants
Â:censor:to go.
Â:censor:Age 60: She looks at herself and reminds herself of all the people who
Â:censor:can't even see themselves in the mirror anymore. Goes out and conquers the
Â:censor:world.
Â:censor:Age 70: She looks at herself & sees wisdom, laughter and ability, goes out
Â:censor:and enjoys life.
Â:censor:Age 80: Doesn't bother to look. Just puts on a purple hat and goes out to
Â:censor:have fun with the world.

That is a really good one! And something to think about!

That is a wonderful way to remind us all what the priorities in our lives should be. The first time I really saw my life in this way was 9/11. I suppose I should have done this when my mother passed away, but I used sweating the small stuff to avoid dealing with the big stuff. That last part always makes me cry because my Mother's favorite book/poem was "When I Grow Old I Shall Wear Purple." She never had the chance to wear purple.

I think I started reading Erma when I was 12 or 13 years old. I always loved her.

I started reading Erma, as a teenager, too. That's when I showed my mom Erma's statement, "Ironing causes cancer." Mom didn't buy it, though. AS IF Erma Bombeck would lie about a thing like that!