You
Only
Live
Once
Hearing this woman, who so bravely and without complaint is fighting for her life, living with such gratitude and passion, humbled me and impacted me in a way little has in quite some time. It also drove home a point to me. Life comes with no guarantees. Tommorrow is not promised or written into a binding contract (unless, I missed a memo somewhere). And even more importantly in my case, tommorrow is promised to no one else in your life either. Look at each face you love, and realize they are not promised tommorrow. They could be gone without warning. Too many of us look to the future, and become so entangled in the idea of good works and "belief" and an "afterlife" that we forget about LIFE. I spoke to an atheist friend of mine recently and asked her for some insight over lunch one day. I had always believed atheism to be a rather depressing way of living....this is it, then you are wormfood and no more. She put her beliefs, and life, in an entirely different perspective for me. She said quite simply, "If I believe that this IS all there is, I am not focused on rushing through to get to tommorrow, or the next day, or worried about what will happen or where will I be after I die. I live in this moment. I live it to the fullest and enjoy each second with my loved ones and each second doing the things that I enjoy." While I am not ready to subscribe to Atheism Today, everyone can take a lesson from her words, LIVE FOR THIS MOMENT. Wring every bit of joy and anguish, peace and anger, love and hate from each moment. I challenge each of you with this. For today, ACT. Look into the faces of those you love--your son, daughter, husband, wife, mother, father, sister, brother, friend--and imagine that this is the last time you would see them. What would you say? How would you spend your last time together? (and here comes the ACT part)......NOW DO IT AND SAY IT. For anyone who has ever lost someone, there is always that feeling of "If I could only have one more day with them." Make everyday that day. Live and love with no regrets. Another thing I would like to challenge everyone to do, starting tomorrow morning, upon waking, lay there for a moment and truly think about this: If this was my last day on Earth, what would I want to do? What would I regret never having done if I couldn't squeeze it into this last day? Then, do your absolute best to MAKE IT HAPPEN. I understand that not all dreams are attainable in a day, or even a week, or a month, or a year, but go boldly each day in the direction of your dreams. The point is to live without regrets, without what-ifs, to live to the fullest, and if you are pursuing your dreams with all your heart, you are on that avenue, just perhaps not reached the destination. And remember the adventure is not in just the destination, but the journey as well. You only live once. Choose your own adventure. And LIVE IT.
Embrace today. Forget tommorrow until it becomes today. Fly free. Dive deep. Live for the moment, Love without reservation, and Laugh out loud. Let others stare and wonder if you need to join me in the Quiet Room. Just LIVE.
