A Life Worth Living

Do you take life for granted or do you really live?  I think we all have a tendency to forget the here and now, remember only regret and yearn for tomorrow. It begs the question, what are we missing?

Who are we missing?   We always focus on those who hurt us rather than those who show us that life is meant for living. Those who make us smile, help us check items off our bucket lists and make us better.

I am guilty of this.  I often catch myself spending the better part of a conversation spewing negativity.  Angry coworker this, terrible job that.  I angrily sit in traffic ferociously telling my loved ones about how life is so hard and the world is so dark. The weight of the world upon me I sob, rage and stew.  What I don’t do is take action.  I neglect to look around and take in the beauty that already exists in my life.

What if it were different?  What if I were different?  What if I paid attention not to what’s wrong but what is so right?  The love, the all encompassing loves.

Love, it is not only in a lover.   Listen for it.  It is in laughter.  Today I listened for it and I heard it in my Mother’s laugh. Instantly I was transported back to a time when food coloring and white flowers on her kitchen table was all I needed to be happy.  When it didn’t matter how much money I made or what my home looked like.   It only mattered that we laughed together and waited for the white flowers to turn magically blue overnight.  I listened to her laugh and heard love and remembered what it was to love life.

When was the last time you found pictures in clouds?  Do you remember screaming out with pure elation when they formed a dragon in the sky? His snout still warm, you could see the smoke in puffs that slowly faded above you.

Can you see the pictures now?   Why not?  Look up, a masterpiece awaits you.  It is your creation and only you hold the brush.

I saw that dragon yesterday for the first time in years.  He beckoned me to fly with him, to take chances and to live as if fear could not touch me.  It was as if he could fly me above the doubt, where there is no oxygen to feed the flame of fear.  Where the stars we forget to wish on flourish, waiting for requests.

It was in that moment I decided to fly with him and never look back.

I decided that tomorrow will be different but I will start today.

I will focus on the smiles while learning from the tears.  I will open my eyes and really see.  See what is here and now, see what I have missed.  Hear the music and feel the dancing.  Savor the friendships and love my family.

Work, make a difference.

Time is fluid, and endless river.  Will you swim or sit on the bank?  Today I jumped in.  Won’t you join me?  The water’s fine.