regret – Surprised By Joy

“Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable.” – Sydney Smith

I’ve told this story before but it still cracks me up. When my daughter was three-years- old, I asked her how many houses she could see when she looked out the ground floor window of our house, it was about three.

Then I took her up to the floor above and ask her how many she could see and it was about seven.

Finally we went out onto the little deck on our rooftop and I asked her how many she could see and it was more than she had numbers for. “Miss O” I said “this is the perspective that you get when you are older, you know that everything fits into a larger picture and you are able to see more of it.”

Miss O’s eyes got wide and she looked at me like I was a crazy lady. I admit, that lesson was a little before it’s time. But I love a good dose of perspective. It’s one of the reasons I enjoyed this latest How to Share podcast conversation with author and educator Andrea Simon about her wonderful book, Did You Live the Life You Wanted?

We talk about perspective, regret and the meaning of life. She tells us why she choose to write this story as a novel and how the course she taught about how to write about family plays into her writing.

There are so many fantastic female friendships and characters in this book that spans 50 years. Andrea talks about how she asked men and women if they lived the life they wanted and what she learned differs when women and men answer that question.

We talk about the meaning of life and how writing plays into that. Andrea’s incredible experience as an educator and facilitator shines through as we dig into the depth of life and how we share it.

This is a great episode full of perspective and wisdom with a thoughtful guest. I know you’ll love it.

Takeaways

The novel spans 50 years, highlighting female friendships.
Writing about family requires sensitivity and respect.
Men and women often have different perspectives on life choices.
Older women may feel they had fewer options in their careers.
Regret can lead to personal growth and new opportunities.
It’s important to pursue personal desires as we age.

Here’s Andrea’s fabulous elevator pitch for her novel Did You Have the Life You Wanted?:

Here are some ways you can watch or listen to all of this insightful and helpful episode:

The podcast player embedded below
Click this link to watch in a browser: How to Share Perspective
Subscribe to How To Share on Spotify, Amazon Music, or Apple Podcasts
Subscribing to the YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@howtosharepodcast

Please listen, watch, provide feedback and subscribe.

The Power of Saying Yes – The Life of Try: Personal growth, one try at a time.

How can you say yes to more family adventures—without overspending or overplanning? In this episode of The Life of Try, Wynne Leon talks with Natasha Dillinger about raising adventurous kids, family camping, low-cost activities, preparing kids for new experiences, and staying flexible when plans fall apart. Discover practical ways to build confidence, resilience, and connection through imperfect adventures close to home.In this conversation:· How to raise kids who are willing to try new things· Why saying yes to adventure can become a family habit· Simple strategies for planning group trips· How to prepare children for change and uncertainty· Why flexibility and humor matter when plans fall apartIf this episode resonates with you, listen next to WhenYour Plans Fall Apart for more encouragement on navigating unexpected turns with creativity, humor, and resilience.Subscribe to The Life of Try for more honest conversations about courage, personal growth, family adventure, resilience, and the joy of trying.

Links for this episode:

How to Share Perspective transcript

Andrea Simon’s website

Did You Have the Life You Wanted? on Barnes & Noble, and Amazon

From the host:

My book about my beloved father: Finding My Father’s Faith

(featured photo from Pexels)