Priorities

I bought a Roku last month and am enjoying TV in my room. What I like most are the old programs that I have access to. You know like Johnny Carson, Love Boat, Family Affair, The Donna Reed Show, The Odd Couple (Tony Randall and Jack Klugman), even shows like The Rifleman. I’m still discovering programs everyday and I’ve had the time lately with being sick. Today I found Taxi.

I remember my dad laughing hard at this show. Reverend Jim and Louie. Not to mention Latka and his funny foreign language. I don’t think I’ve seen it since I last watched it with Dad. It’s a bittersweet moment. This made me think of other moments. You know how my busy mind travels. Times spent together and times that weren’t spent together…but should have been. Times that should have been a priority.

I recall when I told my dad that I was getting married (the second time). He asked when and where. Surprised, I asked him, “Are you coming to my wedding?”

“I go to all your weddings!”

He made me a priority.

Back in December of 2017, Dad asked me to meet the family at a cabin near Asheville, NC for Christmas. It was actually a week or two before Christmas. At the time I worked for a florist. It wasn’t just your ordinary “sell flowers” florist. No, we had a huge showroom of merchandise. It was a beautiful store especially at Christmas. So, of course, I didn’t think I could go. And I was afraid to ask my boss. So I didn’t. I was barely able to go to my mom’s when she passed two years prior. I was only able to take a long weekend. Things weren’t always fair there. Not for me anyway.

My family went to the cabin. They had a great time and actually got snowed in. They sent me pictures that I treasure. It was a beautiful cabin in the woods. That was an opportunity to be with my whole family and I missed it. And that was the last opportunity to be altogether before my brother’s marriage dissolved and my dad passed.

Priorities.

Do I remember what took place at the florist shop during those Christmas shopping days while my family was snowed in a beautiful cabin together? No. I do not recall a single second. But I do know what I missed by not being with my family.

Regret. Regret is not easy to live with.

All I can say is it won’t happen again. If I need to be somewhere, somewhere is where I’ll be.

It’s too bad that we often learn lessons too late. But there will be places I need to be in my life yet, and I will be there.

Young people, please learn from some of my life lessons without having to experience them all yourself.

I hope you recognize things of high priority in your life. If it centers around people you love, that’s a clue that it is. No one has a promise of tomorrow and you cannot get those opportunities back. ♥️

Andi