'If I had my life over'
 By Belinda Emmett

(written after she found out she was dying from cancer)

 I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the Earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for a day...
 I would have burned the pink candle sculpted into a rose before it melted in storage...
 I would have talked less and listened more...
 I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained or the sofa faded...
 I would have eaten popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace...
 I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth...
 I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband...
 I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed...
 I would have sat on the lawn with my grass stains...
 I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life...

I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil or was guaranteed to last a lifetime...  

Beautiful Women's Month
 
Age 3                She looks at herself and sees a Queen
 
Age 8                She looks at herself and sees Cinderella
 
Age 15                She looks at herself and sees an Ugly Sister ('Mum, I can't go to school looking like this!')
 
Age 20                She looks at herself and sees 'too fat / too thin / too short / too tall / too straight / too curly' - but decides she's going out anyway
 
Age 30                She looks at herself and sees 'too fat / too thin / too short / too tall / too straight / too curly' - but decides she doesn't have time to fix it, so she's going out anyway
 
Age 40                She looks at herself and sees 'clean' and goes out anyway
 
Age 50                She looks at herself and sees 'I am' and goes wherever she wants to
 
Age 60                She looks at herself and reminds herself of all the people who can't even see themselves in the mirror anymore - goes out and conquers the world
 
Age 70                She looks at herself and sees wisdom, laughter and ability and goes out to enjoy life
 
Age 80                Doesn't even bother to look - just puts on a purple hat and goes out to have fun with the world!
 
 
               Maybe we should put on that purple hat earlier...