I was listening to an interview with Eric Idle the other day and he discussed his friendship with George Harrison. (Apparently, the two were so close that Harrison mortgaged his house to fun "The Life of Brian," but that's another story for another time). When the conversation turned to George's death, Eric noted that he wasn't sad at all because George, as a believer in the Hare Krishna movement and Hinduism, felt he'd worked out whatever he'd needed to in this life. They therefore saw it as a celebration because he was released from this form.
The conversation then turned to the question: If you were able to come back, would you? Would you want a do over?
Whether you believe in reincarnation isn't really the point here; instead, the concepts of regret and fulfillment are. How many of us feel we've worked through what we've needed to and are content with this life we've lived so far?
I remember from the time I was very young - maybe 5 years old - thinking how little time we had. I wasn't one who reveled in childhood because I wanted to get on with it already and be an adult out in the world. Honestly, my perception there hasn't changed all that much. And while I know choices I've made have baffled many, the overarching reason was usually just that: I felt I had so little time that I wanted to see and do as much as I could.
I don't think there's a person alive who doesn't have some regrets. While we might believe every step lead us to where we are now, surely there are things we wish we or others had handled differently. Those "What ifs?" are totally natural. But it is interesting to make choices intentionally, knowing that this all ends and that we - and only we - can make the decisions that will fulfill us the most.
Profound loss often kicks these thoughts up. Some people feel their lives are over after they lose someone close to them; others ride pretty recklessly for a while to feel more alive. But it's almost impossible to not have that realization that time is ticking and this could all be over before we know it. What do we want the remaining time we have to look like?
We don't know if we'll be able to pull a spiritual Mulligan. Knowing that, what can we do here and now to make sure we feel this has been a life well-lived?
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