[at-l] Re: Ring a bell and change

[jbullar1 at twcny.rr.com (Jim Bullard)]

At 11:24 AM 3/1/2005 -0500, Marn44@aol.com wrote:
>In a message dated 2/26/2005 8:09:12 AM Eastern Standard Time,
>stephensadams@hotmail.com writes:
>
>I don't believe you can live a certain way for 50 years and then, with the
>ring of an imaginary bell, become something else.  You live an interesting
>life or you don't.
>
>To the above statements I put forth the following argument:
>
>     Due to personal responsiblities and circumstances some are 
> constrained to live a life somewhat contradictory to their inner dreams 
> or pursuits. The needs of others who are important to the heart of one 
> sometimes take priority over our own. This can be for a short time or a 
> good part of a lifetime. It is not that after fifty years we become 
> different people. But circumstances and responsibilities change and this 
> allows us to begin to live in a fuller way our inner person and break 
> free of those earlier constraints. I appreciate the "I will wear 
> purple..." poem because it speaks there is a time and place for 
> everything...eventually we all will have the opportunity to break free if 
> only for a short time if we will seize the opportunity.
>George Eliot wrote, "It is never too late to be what you might have been."
>I was 49 the day I read that. And I started to plan for my AT hike. We 
>must seize the day when it presents itself.
>31 days and counting
>Dancin Free

Ayup! And people do change, unfortunately. Too many start out with dreams, 
get bogged down by the necessities of life and by the time they are retired 
and free to pursue their dreams, the dreams have been lost.