~ Taking a Trip ~

I had not really planned on taking a trip this time of year,

and yet I found myself packing rather hurriedly.

This trip was going to be unpleasant, and I knew in advance

that no real good would come of it.

I'm talking about my annual "GUILT TRIP."

I got tickets to fly there on "WISH-I-HAD" airlines.



It was an extremely short flight.

I got my baggage, which I could not check.

I chose to carry it myself all the way.

It was weighted down by a thousand memories of what MIGHT HAVE BEEN.

No one greeted me as I entered the terminal

to the REGRET CITY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT..

I say international because people from all over the world come to this dismal town.



As I checked into the LAST RESORT HOTEL,

I noticed that they would be hosting the year's most important event,

the annual PITY PARTY.

I wasn't going to miss that great social occasion.

Many of the town's leading citizens would be there.

First, there would be the DONE family...

You know, SHOULD HAVE, WOULD HAVE and COULD HAVE.



Then came the I HAD family.

You probably know ol' WISH and his clan.

Of course, the OPPORTUNITIES would be

present, MISSED and LOST.

The biggest family would be the YESTERDAYS.

There are far too many of them to count,

but each one would have a very sad story to share.

Then SHATTERED DREAMS would surely make an appearance.

And IT'S THEIR FAULT would regale us with stories (EXCUSES)

about how things had failed in his life,

and each story would be loudly applauded by

DON'T BLAME ME and I COULDN'T HELP IT.



Well, to make a long story very short,

I went to this depressing party...

knowing that there would be no real benefit in doing so.

And, as usual, I became very depressed.



But as I thought about all of the stories

of failures brought back from the past,

it occurred to me that all of this trip

and subsequent "PITY PARTY' could be canceled by ME!

I started to truly realize that I did not have to be there.

I didn't have to get depressed.

One thing kept going through my mind.

I CAN'T CHANGE YESTERDAY,

BUT I DO HAVE THE POWER

TO MAKE TODAY A WONDERFUL DAY.



I can be happy,

joyous,

fulfilled,

encouraged,

as well as encouraging.

Knowing this, I left the CITY OF REGRET immediately

and left no forwarding address.



Am I sorry for mistakes I've made in the past? YES!

But there is no physical way to undo them.

So, if you're planning a trip back to the CITY OF REGRET,

please cancel your reservations NOW.



Instead, take a trip to a place called STARTING AGAIN.

I liked it so much...

that now I have taken up permanent residence there.

My neighbors...

the I FORGIVE MYSELFS and the NEW STARTS

are so very helpful.

By the way, you don't have to carry around heavy baggage,

because the load is lifted from your shoulders upon arrival.

Bless you in finding this great town.

If you can find it... it's in your own heart...

please look me up.

I live on "I CAN DO IT" STREET.

~ Home ~