OF THESE
MOUNTAINS
Rewriting the Story Kendall R. Rumsey
I lost 70 pounds a couple of years ago……. Oh, how I wish I would have kept that up! What would have happened if I had kept working on that book I was writing, the one I sent into a couple of publishers and got a rejection on. What would have happened if I had sent it to just one more publisher? Life’s little regrets or “what if’s” often seep into my psyche, I wonder what could have been, would have been, it’s a constant nag in my brain.
D
o you ever look back on things in your life and wonder, “if I had done it differently how would things have worked out?”
Maybe I’m weird, but I think about this kind of stuff all the time. If I had listened to my mama and practiced my piano, I would probably be able to sit down today and just play. Watching someone play the piano looks so relaxing to me, I wish I had listened to my mama. What if I had eaten my vegetables as a kid, today I would probably like broccoli and collards and green peas, but nope, I didn’t eat them back then and still don’t today. As a teenager, I loved being in plays and musicals, anything artistic, but I was afraid of the name calling associated with it, so I didn’t participate as much as I wanted. Who knows, today I could be a Broadway star or touring the world as a great singer…. yeah, probably not, but it’s fun to imagine! Back in my 20’s when I had the chance, what would have happened if I had gone out on one of the political campaigns across America, fighting for what I believed in. Well, I could be President….. but who wants that? I let silly disagreements and misunderstandings come between me and the love of my life, I think about this one often. Back in the 90’s when my hair was just starting to thin, what would have happened if I had bought that new stuff called Rogaine I was hearing about?
But usually, when I get into one of those places, the reality of a pretty good life creeps in. I can’t play piano and will never star on Broadway; thank God, I will never be President, but I’ve had many victories in other ways. Yes, I’m back to being fat and have a hairline like a cue ball, but that’s OK, in my life’s story, I’ve had it pretty good. I have a wonderful family and friends who love me, I have a business that excites me constantly and believe it or not, I was even elected to public office, not once but twice. “What ifs” are a pain; they get in the way. As I grow older, I am trying my best to think about the good things I have built for myself. It’s not always about being the biggest and best, sometimes it’s just good to try, fail, try again, and keep trying until you succeed. I think that is where I am in life today. Now accepting where I am in life doesn’t mean I’m going to stop dreaming. Those dreams are what keeps us alive, but I dream differently now. I dream about the happiness of those I love, I dream about ways to help others and dream about ways to make life a bit easier for my community. I’m going to keep dreaming and hopefully not live a life of regrets, but an appreciation of all the great things I have in life. I think it’s OK to look back, but also look forward and appreciate what we have, at least that is what I plan on doing.
Kendall Rumsey is a resident of Clayton, Georgia. He is owner of the lifestyle brand Of These Mountains and author of the blog, Notes from a Southern Kitchen. www.ofthesemountains.com | www.notesfromasouthernkitchen.com
44 GML - February 2021
