Have You Enjoyed Your Life

Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones Deck prompts — "Have you enjoyed your life?" one of Edwidge Danticat's brothers asks his father after the father tells his children he has a fatal disease (Brother, I'm Dying).

Let me ask this of you: Have you enjoyed your life? No matter what your age, look back in this moment and respond.

At age seventy-one

I can honestly say I won

the prize of a blessed life

with little to no strife

~

I had my children in my twenties

A bonus son came to me in my thirties

and grown bonus children in my forties

and many grandchildren

and great-grandchildren

~

I was in recovery when I was twenty-four,

and my children, I do adore

I went skating with them until they

could skate circles around me, and hey

downhill skiing was fun until the

black diamonds were where they hung out

Too much for me, and I did want to shout

watch out for that tree

or that knee.

~

Then we went to the BWCA and other fun

places on vacation and to get some sun

in the winter. I have been every place

I care to go. Except maybe space.

~

Theatre was fun, camping, and 4-wheeling

can't be outdone. Love my times when healing

plenty of trauma, grief, and loss to deal with,

and even though I didn't think so, it beats a fifth.

Today is a quieter life, except when there are

grandchildren in the summer. Those times are far

more exciting than two old people can handle at times

Grandpa needs to go to bed earlier, and sometimes

so does Grandma, even though the kids spend much

of their time here with Grandpa. He has the touch!

~

Oops, I should have saved that part for myself. He is the charm

in my life, and we get along superbly, and with little to no harm

when joking and teasing, and laughing together. We

have been together for twenty-five years now, and married for twenty

Both of us are in recovery and doing well.

He is just swell.

~~~~

Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones Deck prompts —This is a hard question. So many of us remember the difficult, tough, dark parts of our life. Do a fresh evaluation. What have you taken satisfaction in, reveled, rejoiced, appreciated? Sometimes it's more painful to recall happiness, what you savored. It seems to make us more open, vulnerable; it fills us with longing - - but go ahead. Tell me in this moment what pleasure you have experienced in this one great life so far.

Spending time with family and friends is what I take satisfaction in. I do miss family who are gone, and am reminded yearly when I do a cancer fundraiser in memory of my sister, who died from leukemia in 2010.

Doing more of what makes me happy is a good plan. Writing, art projects, and working with others. Laughing with friends and family. Enjoying time together over the simple things. Birthday celebrations, graduations, and family get-togethers. Spending time outdoors is so freeing and needed.

Having no regrets is certainly a gift. No resentments. No what-ifs. No, wishing I had done this or that. Satisfaction equals joy and happiness.