[TMIC] Inspiration from Suzi in Seattle -- Not a Joke! Enjoy

SS14U2(AT)aol.com
Sun, 25 Apr 1999 11:47:58 EDT

I had not really planned on taking a
> trip this time of year, and yet I
> found myself packing rather hurriedly.
> This trip was going to be
> unpleasant and I knew in advance that
> no real good would come of it. I'm
> talking about my annual "Guilt Trip".
>
> I got tickets to fly there on Wish I Had
> airlines. It was an extremely
> short flight. I got my baggage, which
> I could not check. I chose to
> carry it myself all the way. It was
> weighted down with a thousand
> memories of what might have been.
> No one greeted me as I entered the
> terminal to the Regret City
> International Airport. I say international
> because people from all over the
> world come to this dismal town.
>
> As I checked into the Last Resort Hotel,
> I noticed that they would be
> hosting the year's most important event,
> the Annual Pity Party. I wasn't
> going to miss that great social occasion.
> Many of the town's leading
> citizens would be there.
>
> First, there would be the Done family,
> you know... Should Have, Would Have
> and Could Have. Then came the I Had family.
> You probably know ol' Wish
> and his clan. Of course, the Opportunities
> would be present, Missed and
> Lost. The biggest family would be the
> Yesterday's. There are far too
> many of them to count, but each one
> would have a very sad story to share.
> Then Shattered Dreams would surely
> make an appearance. And It's Their
> Fault would regale us with stories (excuses)
> about how things had failed
> in his life, and each story would be loudly
> applauded by Don't Blame Me
> and I Couldn't Help It.
>
> Well, to make a long story short, I went
> to this depressing party knowing
> that there would be no real benefit in
> doing so. And, as usual, I became
> very depressed. But as I thought
> about all of the stories of failures
> brought back from the past, it occurred
> to me that all of this trip and
> subsequent "pity party" could
> be canceled by ME!
>
> I started to truly realize that I did not
> have to be there. I didn't have
> to be depressed. One thing kept
> going through my mind, I CAN'T CHANGE
> YESTERDAY, BUT I DO HAVE THE
> POWER TO MAKE TODAY A WONDERFUL DAY.
> I can be happy, joyous, fulfilled, encouraged,
> as well as encouraging. Knowing
> this, I left the City of Regret immediately
> and left no forwarding
> address. Am I sorry for mistakes I've
> made in the past? YES! But there
> is no physical way to undo them.
>
> So, if you're planning a trip back to the
> City of Regret, please cancel
> all your reservations now. Instead,
> take a trip to a place called
> Starting Again. I liked it so much
> that I have now taken up permanent
> residence there. My neighbors, the I
> Forgive Myselfs and the New Starts
> are so very helpful. By the way,
> you don't have to carry around heavy
> baggage, because the load is lifted
> from your shoulders upon arrival.
>
> God bless you in finding this great town.
> If you can find it, please look
> me up. I live on I Can Do It street.