Do you ever feel that you are too late? Too late to accomplish much in your life? Too old to respond to God's call? Too worn out to be of any use?

Lately I have been reading more of the Bible and deepening my prayer life. In doing so I am wondering, "Why wasn't I this committed years ago?" I feel that God is teaching me much yet I cannot help wondering what I missed out because of my past lack luster commitment.

I have also felt that I have missed out on what could've been professionally. What would've happened if I made a career out of hospital nursing? What would've happened if I didn't take time off to raise kids? What would've happened if I had followed my heart with exploring creative endeavors and occupations during college?

Well, I will never know and in some ways that is okay. I have had a varied path and it all is good.

But now that I have started on this writing endeavor, I sometimes wonder if it is too late. Perhaps I will run out of time before I get going? Why does it take me so long to learn things?

I have been thinking of things that I wished I learned earlier:

To enjoy the moment
To laugh more
To reach out to others more
To be more vulnerable
To take risks
To not be so serious

What about you? What things have you learned? Are you still learning? Do you feel that it is too late? Is there anything you wished you learned earlier in life?

I love to hear stories about older individuals accomplishing feats in their "dotage". (Perhaps because I am closer to that season of life than not, it speaks to me.) Some of those who accomplished in their later years:

Paul Cezanne had first art exhibition at age 56
Julia Child began PBS cooking show at age 51
John Glenn went into space at age 77
Grandma Moses started painting at 76
Peter Roget invented the thesaurus at age 73
Colonel Sanders started KFC at age 65 (using his first Social Security check for $100!)
Diana Nyad swam from Cuba to Florida at age 64

I think I have shared before, but the jazz band at my parents' retirement community was called "The Never Too Late" band.