Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Gotta Get it Right the First Time

Thought for the day:  Make each day your masterpiece.


Did you ever hear of a turritopsis nutricula? (And if you did, I am REALLY impressed!) This creature is also known as the immortal jellyfish. Immortal, because as far as scientists know, this jellyfish lives . . .  forever. Once it matures and reproduces sexually, it reverts right back to its juvenile state, and starts the whole maturation process all over again. And there doesn't appear to be a limit as to how many times the process can be repeated, either. So it's an endless cycle. Cool, huh? Kinda like the movie Groundhog Day, only this critter keeps reliving its entire existence instead of a single day.

We people don't have that luxury. As far as we know, this isn't just a dress rehearsal. We don't get any do-overs, and don't get to experience things all over again for the first time. So we've gotta do the best we can with what we've got. Now. We can't keep putting things off until tomorrow, because we may not have a tomorrow. How many times have you heard someone say when something happens, then they're gonna do so-and-so? If we allow our lives to be so tied up in the uncertainties of when and then, we're giving our here and now the smelly end of the stick. So, I say, let's all toss that smelly stick and carpe diem our butts off today.

Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons.   Ruth Ann Schabacker

So, would you like to go back to your juvenile days again? Go through the whole maturation stuff all over again? Some things might be fun to revisit, but as for me ... one trek through adolescence was more than enough. Being an old broad ain't half bad.

Before I go grab hold of my day with both hands, I'll leave you with a few more signs. Nah, not signs like woo-oo-oo kinda weirdo stuff. Signs . . . real signs. Something to make you smile.



(Thanks, Bill!)





And a fine, TOO?
                                                                               



Until next time, take care of yourselves. And each other. And, hey! Carpe that diem, y'all!

14 comments:

  1. I wouldn't mind going back to about age 25 if I could bring my present knowledge and experience back with me.... I mean really, what's the point of doing the exact same thing all over again?

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  2. And I guarantee that plenty of people were fooled by the last one!!!

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  3. I would really like a do-over in some aspects of my life but that wouldn't lead me here where I am right now today, UNLESS, I knew then, where I would be now.

    Crystal balls would have been a good thing back then. I wouldn't have made so many mistakes. Or perhaps I would have learned from them the FIRST time.

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  4. Signs and labels can be so funny. Because of fear of being sued, lawyers have put warnings on everything. Just in case, we are all assumed to be idiots.

    Not sure I would like to live my life all over again as I think I tried my best the first time. Many of my mistakes helped me grow and also gave me some funny stories to laugh about. Even if they didn't, C'est La Vie.

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  5. The jellyfish information is really interesting. And I would go back--but only if I could take all my gained wisdom and knowledge with me.

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  6. Great signs- Can't even pick a fave!

    If I could go back to being 17, I'd do it all again- probably not very differently. I'd enjoy the hell out of it this time though. And I'd sure like to have my 17 year-old body again!

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  7. yes but...the trick would be to do some things the same and others differently so that certain outcomes remained - for example, if I changed my teenage years too much I might not have my son and I happen to like him. Overall, a tricky proposition. Now, if I could just have my 17 year old body back...

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  8. Hi, All. Thank you so much for your comments. I appreciate the heck out of you guys.

    Delores- I'd settle for looking like I did at 25.

    Cro- You're probably right. People see what they want to see.

    Anne- I kinda think the only way to maintain a semblance of sanity is to accept that the path we chose was the best one for us. Mistakes? Maybe. But we learned from them.

    Starting Over- I'm with you. Even though I made mistakes, I'm satisfied with the lessons learned and the place the path has taken me. Besides, who knows? Given another shot at it, I might screw things up worse!

    Heidi- Ah, to go back, but to take our wisdom with us. I wonder if that would lead us to make different choices. (Like maybe to buy Microsoft stock when it first hit the market?) And if we were to make different choices, would they lead to a different outcome?

    Austan- I like your attitude.

    Melissa- Another one wanting the 17-year-old body. Not me. I'd settle for my 40-year-old body.

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  9. I was more spunky as a kid than I am now. My greatest achievements were learning to walk and talk...and there was never any doubt. I want my invincibility back.

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  10. Hi, Natasha. You're right. We were spunkier when we were kids, but that isn't because we were invincible. It's because we believed we were. Now that we realize we aren't bullet-proof, it actually takes a lot more spunk just to keep on keeping on. Like Art Linkletter said, "Getting old ain't for sissies." Take care, and thank you for stopping by.

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  11. I'm off to Google 'Immortal Jellyfish' - wonderfully weird.

    As for being young again - nah, I'm fine with who I am and just like you once was enough.

    Rory

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  12. Actually I'm revisiting this post as a matter of urgency lol - I reread what I'd written and it could be construed as horribly rude! I don't mean 'just like you - once was enough' I mean just like you thought 'Adoloescence - once was enough'...

    Apologies for my dreadful grammar and sentence structure in the first comment. I cite the time as being 1am in mitigiation...

    Rory

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  13. Hi, Rory. Yeah, I thought that jellyfish was wonderfully weird, too. And your first post was perfectly clear. Once was enough.

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  14. Arrrrgh! Marcy, I called you Melissa! Oops, I'm sorry about that.

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