making the most of it

I don’t know if I’m just older and so I notice it more, but it seems it happens too often, now: Losing opportunities.  Working so hard at working hard that we miss the moments in the day that make it all worthwhile.  And sometimes we’re lucky enough to be reminded that we need to stop.  And breath.  And smile.  And just enjoy this moment… because we had a scare, or just hung on to something by a nail, or got an amazing new chance. It’s in those moments that I close my eyes and say a quiet ‘thank you – i’ll do better’.  And I do… until I forget to.

The next time it happens I’m frustrated with myself that it takes another catch of my breath or heart stopping quick scare to remind me.  It seems as kids we are better at making the most of it – sitting there on the grass and then just reaching out and hugging (head-locking) someone, dancing to a random beat without caring what people think, smiling at the wind…At what point as an adult do you ‘un’learn enough to just let go and make the most of every moment?  I’m lucky – so very blessed.  And I want to feel that every day instead of the stress, doubt, guilt, and worry that creep in and waste my time.

All  too often we hear or read or see those around us who aren’t that lucky – the ones that shouldn’t have anything bad happen to them in life – and somehow it still does – and those are the moments when I catch my breath and think. shit. i need to make the most of this.  It’s in those moments when the reality of this thin little tight rope of life hits home.  When the stories of loss or disease or inhumanity aren’t about someone who we’ve never met, or who we’ve seen on tv – but of a friend, a neighbour, a colleague, a relative – it hits home.  This life we have is very real.  It’s amazing and wonderful and hard and painful and joy-filled and challenging.  And fragile. So fragile.

It’s not the shifting of the pieces that matters most it seems – because all of the pieces will always be there.  It’s what we chose to make of those pieces.  There will always be cause for sadness and uncertainty, there will always be opportunities to feel  jealously and self-pity, we can’t omit those ‘things’ from happening in our life – but there will also always be a reason to feel hope, a bit of joy, and even a bit of unbridled happiness.  It’s the perspective we choose to take in the moments of our life that shapes what we’ll remember. And how we’ll be remembered.

If you’re still reading this, you might be thinking of a story that happened to you, or a person in your life that reminds you to make the most of every day.  I hope you are. I know I am.  And for some, their audacity to not succumb to a prognosis or a setback is etched in our mind and heart.  Facing every moment with the openness to see it for what it could be, rather than what you fear it will be – that is true strength.  That is inspiring beyond words.

I hope with every part of my being that each smile, each choice to make the most of a funny mishap or lingering minute brings me closer to finding the way to let it all go – and just make the most of life.  Because it really is an incredible gift.

L&C you’ve inspired this one tonight – you blow me away with your choice to face every new day with a smile, hope and a prayer.  You have a huge cheering squad. xo