My father, who died in 2000, was a man filled with humor. He was the
life of the party and he always had ten jokes ready for any given occasion.
His stories were legendary and to this day I still have friends who
talk about stories that my dad first told them over 20 years ago.
On numerous occasions,
I heard people say to him, "You missed your calling - you should
have been a comedian." Whenever someone would say that, a cloud
would pass over my dad's face for just a second. I could tell deep in
his heart, he always wondered "What if?"
How often does that
happen to us? How often have we thought about some long-forgotten passion
of ours and wondered "What if?" How often have we had others
tell us that we missed our calling? What a horrible situation in which
to find ourselves.
My goal, both for
myself and for you, is to never have that cloud of deep regret pass
over our faces. I want to ensure that you never have to look back at
your life and wish that you had done things differently. I want to help
you remove "what if" and "if only" from your vocabulary.
I am fortunate enough
to have inherited my father's sense of humor. Growing up, people used
to say to me, "Oh, you're just like your father! You should be
a comedian." After receiving my expiry date and coming to terms
with my own mortality, I was adamant that I wouldn't live with regrets.
So, I put together a routine and went to a local comedy club in Montreal
for their amateur night. It was great! Absolutely fantastic! That summer
I did three shows at the club and realized that although I enjoy performing
and making people laugh - comedy as a career, is just not for me. The
important thing is that I tried it! I know I will never have any regrets
in that area.
That is the gift
that I want to give you. I want you to live as a mortal. I want you
to have the presence of mind to see when you have an opportunity before
you, the courage to explore that opportunity, and the peace of mind
that follows. You'll know that you gave it your best and you have no
regrets.
ENJOY NOW!
Copyright (c) 2003-2006, all rights reserved.
National Library of Canada ISSN 1708-0606
You may copy, forward or distribute Mindful Moment provided that this
copyright notice and full information for contacting Patrick Mathieu
are included.
Contact him at: http://www.mathieu.com
or email patrick@mathieu.com.
