One of my friends called to say she was coming to Sydney for a few days and wondered if I would like to go out for lunch with some of the ladies that we once worked with. I agreed, so we set a date and place to meet the following week.

It had been about ten years since the four of us had caught up with each other, so we had a lot of news to share. It was great to see each other we talked about family, as well as the latest things we were involved in since we last saw each other.

It was an enjoyable meal; the food was great with a few glasses of wine and a lot of laughter. Of course, photos of grandchildren and pets were passed around.

Someone mentioned how their granddaughter was studying to become a teacher. Then she mentioned how she had always wanted to work with children. Someone else mentioned that they had wanted to work in a hospital situation.

The mood seemed to change and before long the conversation became a little more serious. It seemed as if each one of us had a hidden desire that we had held within, that had never eventuated.

Then all of a sudden my friend picked up her glass and said “Here’s to all the things that might have been. Let’s face it, it’s too late to worry about it now. Cheers.”

“What do you mean it’s too late? I know I said I always wanted to work in the hospital situation, so now I am a volunteer. Every Thursday I go to the hospital nursery and help the staff nurse and feed sick babies. I just love it. So now I am doing what I always wanted to do”

There was suddenly a different feeling around the table; we talked about volunteering to read to sick children, visiting the elderly, as well as many other options.

I told them that I taught card making at a church craft class as well as learning new ideas from the other ladies in the craft class.

We all had some spare time and so we talked about ways to help others, as well as fulfill some of those hidden desires. Luckily no one had wanted to be a brain surgeon, but even then I guess one could volunteer to work with people with special needs.

The day had been a lot of fun catching up with friends I think we all went away from that luncheon with a different approach to life. I know that I did.

We need to have the ‘what’s next’ instead of the ‘what if’ mindset.

I realised that instead of having a ‘too late attitude, we should share ourselves with the world around us. We will not only live a more fulfilled life, by creating our own opportunities, we will get to have fun doing the things we love.

Today is the youngest we will ever be, so therefore we should think that it’s never too late to live our life to the fullest.

– Nancy