What TRULY matters in Life?
Your sense of self is what remains. As you go through life, the sense itself may change, but it will always be there in some form. Everyone is aware of themselves on some level. But if you want an answer to what truly matters, that is a different story altogether. What truly matters in life is: Finding yourself, whether or not you knew you were lost. Walking alongside someone so that your footprints are not the only ones left in the sand. Feeling small when you stand beside the ocean and wonder at the universe. Feeling triumphant when you've given it your all. And most importantly...that you know who you are, where you are from, and where you are going. No matter what mishaps you get into, as long as you remember that, then you'll be fine.
If you could step back in time to redo your life...what would you change?
I would have treated my mother better and would have spent more time with her. I have no real "regrets," when it comes to our relationship, because though it was slightly strained growing up, when she got sick I was in my early 20's and was able to spend a lot of time with her and we were both at peace with our past when she passed. However, if I could go back...I'd go a little easier on her- and enjoy the time with her a lot more. She had a lot to teach me, and I never gave her the chance to do so. I remember my 22 birthday...it was 11 days before she passed away (after a very short battle with cancer). We sat on the couch and held hands and watched a movie. She looked at me, and at our hands and said "I'm so glad to hold your hand again, I can't tell you how much that means," In the back of my head I remember thinking how awful it was that it took her dying to let myself be her "daughter" again. I would love to be able to redo my teenage years again, when I was so embarrassed and ashamed of her I refused to spend any time with her.