"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"

Mary Oliver

I received this quote in an email today and it relates to a couple of things I've been thinking about lately. First, since I'm trying to focus my energies on studying for the GRE, I requested that the book group I host out of my apartment forgive me and change our choices for August and September to something a little shorter such as an essay, article or poetry on by or about women or women's issues. With the recommendation of one of the members, we've decided to go with poetry and her and I have chosen a poem each of Mary Oliver's to bring and discuss with the group. I wrote recently in this blog about what Oliver's poem The Journey meant to me and I'm bringing that to the book club discussion. Low and behold I receive the email with her poem...

I also made note of another quote I heard on an audio book by Wayne Dyer.

"Don't die with your music still in you"

This quote I've heard somewhere before and it really hit home with me as it seems I've spent a lot of my life putting off pursuing my passions, I've always thought "When the kids grow up" "When I get more money" "When I get another degree" or some excuse. This quote makes me think about what if I died tomorrow or was told I had 6 months to live. How important would it be to go for my dreams and put aside all of the excuses. Wayne Dyer speaks of a woman who felt too old to return to school and when asked "How old will you be in 5 years if you don't go back to school?" She says 49, "How will you be in 5 years if you do?" 49......

Time is precious, my life is precious and I don't want to take it for granted. I don't want to have regrets over things I didn't try or pursue.

I don't want to die with my music still in me.