Paris in a Sportscar
May 7, 2008 by cybill
There are times when you look back at your life and think about the paths that you didn’t take. Do you know the ones I mean? The job offer in a remote town, the pleasing man at the party, the profession you didn’t study, crack cocaine. Its interesting to reflect on what life would have been like if we had taken any of these paths and how it would have been different.
There are paths I have regretted not taking and have gone back and re-done them, my education for one and other paths I simply walked away from - the man I didn’t marry. I can’t think of too many wrong paths I have wandered down, the expensive car I bought in my early 20’s and couldn’t afford, the idiot I dated for a while, the exercise I didn’t do and the sunscreen I forgot to wear - but nothing major which means I am pretty pleased with where my life is at the moment. There were still things I was going to go back and do, some new things to try, I was happy. Until I heard this song on the radio;
“At the age of 37, she realized she’d never drive through Paris in a sportscar with the warm wind in her hair*” (I know the lyrics aren’t correct but you got the gyst of it and now you will be occupied the rest of the day trying to remember exactly what they are - so don’t say I don’t do anything for you!)
At the age of 37 - 37! that’s a little younger than I am now dammit - why I wanted to scream at the radio, WHY did she give up at the age of 37. That’s positively young, especially to be giving up on one of your dreams. I began to worry, is it too late, I had been planning to drive through Paris in a sportscar, I just hadn’t gotten around to it yet.
So perhaps I am getting too complacent, I need to get working on some of those plans - start heading down those paths. So much to do, I’ve got to book that trip to Paris, climb a mountain, write some thank-you notes. I also need to stop listening for philosophical content in songs.
* in case you haven’t heard it or were racking your brain its called ‘The Ballad of Lucy Jordan’
Oh, dear Cybil, I say keep listening for the philosophical content in songs. Especially if they get you to Paris. This post makes me think of one of my pet peeves that I should have listed on your post from yesterday, I hate it when people say,”I am too old” or “it is too late for me.” Grrrrrrrr!
I am so happy to hear that you are booking that flight.
A colleague at work is 42 and having her first baby - that’s leaving that pathway pretty late, but I guess she is started now!
Miss J has a firm belief that’s its almost NEVER to late to pursue dreams. When you’re on your deathbed, it’s probably to late. Til then, keep on keepin’ on.
Now I have to go google, trying to remember the name of the movie that had this song as the soundtrack. I’m mid-50s and still have a dream or two I’d like to achieve (and luckily several I can just enjoy).
I certainly regret doing a bloody BA when education was free. A double major in philosophy and Geology is what I SHOULD have done, so now I’d have money, and know why I was spending it.
The Worst of Perth
La Belette, I always think good songs are like poetry set to music, and some lyrics are pretty meaningful. Okay now I’m saving up to get to Paris, I think I’ve told you before it aint cheap from here!
Margery, Babies always seem to turn up whenever they damn well want don’t they?
Miss Janey, You’re absolutely right!
materfamilias, I didn’t know there was a movie with this song, now i’m going to have to do some googling too. By the way, mid-50’s is damn YOUNG.
Lazy Aussie, oh I remember when education was free in Australia, I don’t think I ever would have stopped studying if it still were. I’d be Dr, Attorney, Dr, researcher, professer Cybill if I could afford it. Plus, you are a philosopher, you don’t need a degree to prove it and I’m sure that Geology wouldn’t have made you happy.
The movie’s called Montenegro, and it’s a rather dark and strange film altho’ not without its weirdly comic moments. I saw it years ago with a book group — we were all uncharacteristically reserved after watching it.
Having regrets and getting old are different matters. Regrets - other than for not being very nice to people - are often sentimental and probably unrealistic. I find that - except for exercises in creative writing - ‘What if?’ is best avoided.
“I am too old” usually means - “I don’t want to do that and this is a good excuse”, or sometimes, “I can’t really afford it but am too proud to say so”.
Good point!
I have regrets too numerous to mention, but as the cliché goes: I’d rather regret things that I did than things that I didn’t do.
My most recurring piece of maternal advice to my daughter is that it’s the things you don’t do that you always regret, not the things you do.
I became a mother when I was still quite young (just 19), so had my wild(ish) time in my 40s, rather than in my 20s, and don’t regret a moment of it.
I also did my degree part-time and graduated at 40, qualified as a homeopath at 50 and then ran away to live in the country. A decade on, I’m now thinking ‘what next?’ There are still adventures to be had and dreams to be dreamt; the important thing is not to stop. And, in case this helps, I was rather dreading 60 and becoming, officially, old. As it turns out I’m really enjoying life, travelling, writing, looking after my animals and planning my next move . . .
Janet, you are right, they are two different things and I shall stop thinking of them as one, thank-you.
Iheartfashion, that’s the right way to think about it, isn’t it? (and it makes me feel a lot better about my ‘mistakes’!)
60goingon16, that is good maternal advice and one I will be using on my own children. Your life sounds fabulous and like you did everything exactly the right way, for you.
It’s funny how you can be going on quite happily and then a song just knocks you for six. Some songs just overwhelm me with nostalgia and regret. I’m trying to think of a good example but the only thing that’s springing to mind is the “Boys of Summer” by Don Henley which doesn’t really do it for me…
Hi Gervy, Songs can take one back to a time and place like nothing else quite does (except maybe smell or is that just me). No regrets, remember - just different types of experiences! or stop listening to those songs.