If I Had My Life to Live over Again When asked “How would you have lived your life differently if you had a chance?” Nadine Stair, an 85-year-old woman, from Louisville, Kentucky, provided these poetic words as her response… If I had my life to live over, I’d try to make more mistakes next time. I would relax. I would be sillier than I have been this trip. I know of very few things I would take seriously. I would take more chances. I would take more trips. I would climb more mountains, swim more rivers and watch more sunsets. I would eat more ice cream and less beans. I would have more actual troubles and fewer imaginary ones. You see, I’m one of those people who live prophylactically and sanely and sensibly, hour after hour, day after day. Oh, I have had my moments and if I had to do it over again, I’d have more of them. In fact, I’d try to have nothing else- just moments, one after another. I’ve been one of those persons who never goes anywhere without a thermometer, a hot-water bottle, a raincoat, and a parachute. If I could do it again, I would travel lighter than I have. If I had to live my life over, I would start barefooted earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall. I would go to more dances, I would play hooky more. I would ride on more merry-go-rounds, I’d pick more daisies. – Nadine Stair Read and listen to the poem and decide if you can learn something from the poem. Grammar: wishes and regrets We use I wish + past to refer to the present fact regret I can’t swim I wish I could swim We use I wish + past perfect to refer to the past fact regret I took a wrong I wish I had taken decision the right decision Look back at the poem and complete the sentences for the woman expressing her regrets. Use the words in the box. adventurous anxious enjoy fun over risks sensible seriously I wish I had been less anxious. I wish I’d been more _______________ . I wish I’d taken more _______________ . I wish I had had more _______________ . I wish I hadn’t been so ______________ . I wish I hadn’t taken life so __________ . I wish I’d done more of the things I ____ . I wish I had my live to live ___________ .
