Monday on my Facebook page my theme was living in the moment. Living in the moment is something we should all aspire to be better at, but every day life can be so distracting. I try my best to live in the moment and fail often, and some days it is just plain easier to be in the moment throughout the day than others. Yet I keep on trying to get to a place where I live in the moment every day, and cherish each moment in a day without labeling them good or bad, but instead precious and a gift.
On Monday morning I had said that we should cherish each moment because this one single moment is all we are guaranteed. I meant that sincerely and I believed it fully. However it was said and meant from a purely intellectual standpoint. Intellectually, I believe that being fully present for each moment and being thankful for every moment in each day is the most fruitful way to live. I do believe that with all of my brain.
It wasn’t until that evening that I understood what it meant to believe it and feel it with all of my heart and soul. The feeling was extremely poignant and painful and very necessary to get the concept of living fully in the moment from my head down into my heart. On Monday night I learned that a dear friend from high school and college had been killed instantly that morning when the car she was driving was struck head on by another vehicle when the other driver entered a roundabout going the wrong way.
One moment she was alive and well with so much to look forward to and one single moment later she was gone from life here on earth, and from the world’s of all of those of us who cared about her. I don’t believe that she had even a split second to know what was coming, and for that I am extremely grateful. She was a lovely woman who married her high school sweetheart and stayed married to him. I sang at their wedding. She had two daughters, one expecting her first baby and the other just having graduated from high school. She loved the Lord so she is safe in God’s arms now and that is what brings so many of us comfort in spite of the pain. We all are praying her family.
It is human nature to wish away painful or unpleasant moments. Often we wish away entire days and weeks. “I cannot wait for this day to end!” or “Is this week ever going to end”? Don’t ever wish away a single minute, because we just do not know how many minutes we get in this life. I know that it is hard to be thankful for each moment and day when times are tough, but there is always something to be grateful for, even on days that feel miserable.
The people in my life know how much I love them. I tell them a lot–every time I see them or talk to them– because I’ve had that intellectual knowing of lack of permanence for a long time and I never wanted one single “I love you” left unsaid. I dislike unresolved conflicts for the same reason. But there have been times in my life when I have though, “I’d be so happy if I never had to see that person again.” At the time I meant that also, but time does have its way of healing and now I’d be devastated to see those people gone. It’s unfortunate that there are one or two people now that I often feel that way about now, because at one point I cared very deeply for one of them. I am working on that with efforts redoubled now towards forgiveness and letting go fully.
My sister has a friend who is a very caring man and when you are around him you feel that. On one occasion he told me that his motto was, “Wherever you are, be all there.” I think he succeeds at that, and it is truly excellent advice. In the midst of this week that has felt like one giant roller coaster ride I am working very hard to take his advice and be all there wherever I am, and with whomever I am around. I am so much better living in the moment now than I was in my youth, but I have a long way to go. I am committed to cherishing every moment in my heart and my head because those moments become memories for everyone involved and at some point memories are all that we are left with. Go make some good memories today.
One Hot Mess(age) 