Lives Unlived: Are You Grieving?

One of the ponderings in mid-life is realizing that we cannot and will not do everything we thought we might. At this point of life, we've made our choices. It's not that I can't have what I want...of course, I can. But I probably cannot have everything I want, given where I am today. I have many interests and several passions. But everything I think I might like to do can't be incorporated into this lifetime. It's just too short. One day I might think, I'd like to adopt children. Give them a loving life and make a difference. The next day I might think I want to be a yogi, meditate full-time and serve others. On another day, I think I'd love to have a 7-figure business and travel all over the world. Another day I think I'd like to sing for a living, a dream I didn't pursue from my youth. Each of the things above I could be passionate about and most likely successful at. But I probably can't do all of them, especially given the choices I've made up to now. Certain things just aren't going to be part of my life.

And from this thought is a certain amount of sadness. It is partly because one must make choices on what life to live. Part of it is the recognition that life is passing and we will not always be here. We do have limited time here in this lifetime. So while I accept that I have made choices and will continue to have to make choices about how my life will be lived, I grieve for my lives that will remain unlived...at least in this lifetime.

Explore this idea for yourself. Do you have things you still want to do in your lifetime? Is it time to put some dreams from the past to bed? Is it time to choose which life you will lead? How do you feel about this idea of grieving for a life unlived?

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