Happy Five Minute Friday time.
The assignment this week was, quite frankly, challenging. The FMF prompt is COULD, but I was led to the past before trying to redeem myself with a positive message. My mind certainly wandered in different directions before I was able to herd my thoughts into a coherent five minutes. It was quite a challenge.
I wonder if my fellow FMF writers at fiveminutefriday.com had the same challenge. After this post, I’ll take a peek at the offerings from my writing soulmates. It’s always exciting — and often informative — to see how my fellow FMF friends develop their thoughts in a variety of different genres.
I’ve been sharing snippets taken from Five Minute Friday: A Collection of Stories Written in Five Minutes Flat compiled by Susan Shipe. They are a testament to the value of the exercise. This week, I’ll share some perspective from Debbie G. who I hope inspires you to check us out.
“FMF has helped me overcome my publish-button-phobia. Publish-button-phobia is the fear of hitting the publish button. It usually affects type A personalities like this gal right here. I believe FMF has helped me with this because of its format of freestyle writing for five minutes with no or little editing. FMF has helped me be more creative as a simply ‘speak’ from my heart and enjoy the writing process. At my little place in bloggy land I call it — Five Minute Friday Fun. That’s with the emphasis on FUN.”
If you get a chance, stop by the Community section at our spot. Or, better yet, try your hand at focused, unscripted writing for just five minutes. And share it on the Facebook site.
But for now, the timer is set for five minutes, so let’s see what we’ll come up with. GO …
Coulda. Woulda. Shoulda. Three road signposts on the road to regret.
We have all experienced the self doubt. I coulda done that … but I didn’t. I woulda done that … but I didn’t. I shoulda done that … but I didn’t
No. I would rather park the Regret Road signs in the garage of my memory and live each day, each minute in the present. I might reflect on missed opportunities but only to form a new plan in the moment.
Going back to the coulda’s, woulda’s, shoulda’s doesn’t help direct the future. They are encumbrances that rob you of the beauty of now — right now.
I coulda had a different reaction. Okay, recognize it to have a different reaction — today.
I woulda not have gone down that path. Okay, recognize it when faced with a similar choice and make the choice based … STOP
… on today.
I shoulda spent more time with … Okay, right now spend time with God, your family, your friends. Reach out just to say “I’m thinking about you.”
The mantra in this moment is I can {present tense} … I will {present tense} … I shall (present tense}. Seize the day!
THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make. — Jane Goodall
The Light 
I wonder if those “I coulda” days are an opportunity to practice humility by asking forgiveness of those we may have crossed. You’ve given me something to think about.
Amie, FMF #12
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Didn’t think about it that way. You’ve given me something to think about.
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You and Susan at Hope Heart Home we’re thinking along similar lines this week.
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A few of us did. Don’t know what that says about us. 🙂 Have a blessed week.
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Yes this was a difficult one and it is FUN! A few of us went with Could, Would, Should but with totally different reflections…. love the way you finished, seize the day! 🙂 fmf#11
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Thanks. I always find the prompts to be FUN. Makes you focus. Have a blessed week.
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I also has coulda , woulda, shoulda in my head. God bless fmf#4
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Great (or crazy) minds think alike. Have a blessed week.
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Joe, COULD I go off-topic here? Things went south real hard today, and I need your prayers. Pain went off the scale, and other things, and I am very, very scared.
No access to a corpsman, much less a doc (financial constraints), but that’s the breaks.
Semper Fi, bro.
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You’ve got them!!! I’m there with you virtually my friend. Squeeze my hand, take a deep breath (as deep as you can), and keep your eyes on the prize. Semper Fi!
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Do I have any regrets concerning something that occurred in the past ? Yes, but I have learned that it’s best to learn something positive from a negative experience. Like the old adage: Every dark cloud has a silver lining. The journey of life is itself part of the learning curve of life. We learn by making mistakes. Fortunately, maturity and sometimes wisdom comes along as we grow older. I once saw a poster that read: Life is what happens to you when you are busy making other plans. Life does sometimes take us to a place where we didn’t expect to be. My philosophy is to go with the flow, and just do the best you can.
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That’s the plan … gowith the flow and do the best you can. Peace brother.
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I saw a dying not long ago that said, “Don’t spend too much time looking in the rear view mirror, you’re not going that way.” Learning from the past and moving on into a better today is great advice!
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.saw a SAYING not dying. Goodness!
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That’s one of my favorite dyings … er, sayings 🙂 Have a blessed Sunday!
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I spend too much time in the land of coulda, woulda, shoulda. Thank you for this reminder to seize the day!
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Don’t we all! Have blessed week.
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