“An unexamined life is not worth living,” wrote Socrates.  This week two  friends told me they responded to this prompt in their journals, but they didn’t want to share it.  My heart is so glad!  This blog, in part, is a creative way to discipline myself to live an examined life and invite you to do the same.  So write your hearts out!  And if you’re ready, pass it on to me and share it with our friends here at Life Prompted.

I received two beautiful responses from different perspectives this week. I liked them both so much I decided to feature both. The first one is from Laura Wright.  She is the bestie I mentioned that was with me at Mo Ranch.  She’s a reason I have so many lovely memories of that place. Laura is a poster child for the creative life. She’s traveled the U.S. in an RV, homeschooling her two girls, and now she helps others make travel plans with Disney.  She’s been a professional photographer.  She is a writer. You will be able to read her books someday.  I’m sure of it.  Her husband is a big tall barrel of laughs.  All my babies were scared of him, but now they think he’s the most fun dad around.  You will be touched by her reflection on their love for each other and her desire to go all the way back to the beginning.

The second piece is from Kerry Van Dusen.  She’s a few years older, and I loved her thoughts about going back to when her girls were little.  In part, I enjoyed reading it so much because Kerry’s wisdom as a mother is something I cherished when we lived close to one another.  I’ve heard her say so many times, “you just have to get on your knees.”  Her two beautiful grown up daughters have such a lovely friendship with her, and I want to raise kids who enjoy me that much!  Kerry and Laura are cut from the same cloth when it comes to the creative life.  Kerry introduced my hometown to needle felting.  She’s a master with the palette knife. And you can check out her latest super fun creations at The Mon’ter Lab on Instagram.  Her husband is a crazy talented musician and published author, but you’ll see she can handle a pen pretty well herself.

Don’t forget that the exercise was to write for just 7 minutes.  Enjoy these reflections on “If you could relive one day of your life, what would it be?”

From Laura:

The very first thing I thought of when Shannon posted this prompt was The Time Traveler’s Wife. As an English major, I often find myself in social situations answering the question “What’s your favorite book?” with weighty, meaningful titles like House of Mirth or Angle of Repose – tomes that I know many people haven’t read and I can feel superior, in some weird way, that I have. But if I’m being completely honest, Audrey Niffenegger’s first book is truly my favorite. It may not be quite as profound or life-changing as Faulkner or Hemingway, but I keep going back to it. The general story is about a man who has a genetic disorder that causes him to time travel, mostly to significant times in his life, over and over again. This also extends to his wife, whom he visits as a girl long before they fall in love. There are so many complex ideas about fate, predestination and love in this story, and it never fails to capture my imagination.

So, when presented with this question, I wondered, “what day would I want to relive over and over again, like Henry?” – a sort of Groundhog Day scenario, an endless loop of this day for eternity. This contemplation changed the meaning of the question for me, because while there are many days I would like to go back and change, many days I regret words said or actions taken, there are only a very few I would want to revisit forever.

After that long-winded introduction, my day would be this: the day I went on my first date with my husband. It was Valentine’s Day, fifteen years ago. To be honest, I have a very spotty recollection of it – I can remember vividly what I was wearing, but have no memory of what he wore. I remember which booth we sat in at the Southwestern Commons, but couldn’t tell you what we ate or even what we talked about. And maybe that’s what holds the allure for me: I would like to know what these two kids talked about that helped them begin a lifelong romance. I can guarantee that there was nothing mysterious or mystical or magical about the conversation, even without knowing exactly what was said, and yet looking back it seems to be all three. What grew out of that initial awkward conversation – two kids, too many houses, a million adventures – is something only God could have dreamed up. It’s a marriage with its own hardships and faults, but beautiful and loving and blessed. To be able to experience those first moments from the perspective of my life today would be hilarious and cringe-worthy and so, so joyful.

From Kerry:

I have often thought about this idea of reliving one day in my life. Time goes so fast and life passing me by is a painful reality on many days. If I COULD relive one day of my life, it would be this: I would go back to a day when my oldest child was 3 1/2 and my youngest was somewhere between 6 and 9 months.

I spent many hours of their sweet, young lives making sure my house was clean or waiting for their afternoon naps so that I could have some quiet “me” time. Don’t get me wrong, there isn’t one thing wrong or sinful in wanting a tidy house or enjoying some blissful peace and quiet. When I think back to those days, however, I might have put more weight in those activities than the activity of listening, really listening, to my 3 year old daughter’s chatter about her 3 year old life, or, getting down to eye level with my youngest as a sweet baby girl, talking to her about her toys, and watching the world from her perspective on the floor.

One more load of laundry. Wait until I vacuum the living room. I need to get dinner started. All good. All important tasks. But, what I wouldn’t give to listen to all the important things my oldest daughter had to say. Talking to adults was her very favorite thing to do. I would truly, truly love to pick up my baby girl, my youngest daughter, and kiss her baby-fat cheeks again. I would tell both of them ONE MORE TIME how much they are loved and how important they are to our family.

In the end, all parents say the same thing. They say, “If I had it to do all over again, I would spend more time doing things with my children instead of working so much.” In the end, I’m not sure there is a way to make certain you are cherishing every moment while you are in it. There is always work to be done. Tasks that need to be accomplished. Even if you are sure you are doing everything you can to love your children well, time passes and now here I am regretting not cherishing every single one of their childhood moments to the fullest.

If I COULD relive one day…if it WERE possible…that’s what I would do. I would go back to the lives of my children and give them one more boost forward with time and words only a mother can give. ❤

Thank you so much.