This is not some rant or opinionated banter that some might normally see from me however something of a different nature. As I sit quietly in my living room at 2:30AM, I began to sit besides myself and actually think about my life and my place in the universe at this very moment.
I feel I am extremely lucky. Granted, portions of my life are not where I want them to be however who can actually say that theirs is? I am having a moment of awareness as to where I am thankful for the many things in my life. I am thankful to be alive, I am thankful to have a happy and healthy family, I am thankful for my many life experiences that I have partaken in thus far, that I have a loving wife who puts up with me, and I am thankful that I still have both of my parents who are both alive and well.
What exactly brought on this unusual feeling of enlightenment? I honestly do not know. Perhaps it is the ensuing holiday, or perhaps something bigger. As I have gotten older, I have realized that I am taking more time to sit and enjoy the moment. This is especially true when it comes to my children. Only a few short years ago, I remember that I used to be obsessed with my career. I missed out on holidays such as Halloween with my kids, New Years Eve, plus other equally important life events that should have been spent with my family. I feel blessed that I have actually opened my eyes to this and have acknowledged the importance of the moment.
In some strange sign from the universe, as I was writing this I happened to come across a cartoon on the internet that briefly summarizes exactly what I was talking about in the last paragraph. What an amazing coincidence.
In the cartoon it shows a man who spends all his time working and trying to make money when his real attention should have been on his family. It is also easy to say that the man regrets his actions in the final frame. This sort of thing happens all the time and what freaks me out is that this could have been me one day.
Aside from my children, wife, and my family-life, and everything else in the present, I also reminisce about the past. Imagine where you had access to a time machine and could relive any moment in time whether it was your own life or someone else's. Some people would visit the Earth when the dinosaur roamed, the birth of Christ (if you believe in that sort of thing), when the Great Wall Of China was built, or perhaps some other equally historical monument in time. Where or better yet when would you go? For me, it is a fairly simple destination. If I had the means, I would love to relive at least one day as a younger me. This would not to be to alter my eventual destiny, no. However it would be to go back to a more simple time. To spend time with my sister and twin brother doing what we do, playing with my old dog who has been long deceased, and most of all just spending time at home with my parents. Even if it meant we did absolutely nothing except watch the television. Back then, I never had any moments such as this as to where I would stop to enjoy the moment. Granted this scenario of going back in time to relive my childhood completely contradicts my initial thesis of enjoying the moment but I am sure most of you understand where I am coming from.
As adults, we are thrown into a world where obligations and responsibilities dominate the majority of our time. However life doesn’t stop because you are down-and-out, life doesn’t stop because you have rent to pay, nor does life stop and wait until you are able to get back onto your feet. Life just happens. It is up to us to decipher how we are to spend it.
I really do not know what this is turning into. However I felt the need to simply acknowledge how great it is to live in the moment from time to time. This is especially comforting and a much welcomed getaway from a person such as myself who constantly fixates on both the past and also the future. Life can change in an instant. It is best to take time to enjoy the family and friends who care about you while you still have them in your life. For me, this is one of those instances.
For many years I have lived with my own personal quote…
“The meaning of life is to live”
This is something that never held as much meaning to me as it does right now. Back then, I just thought it sounded cool. Now, I know that there is actual meaning in it. This was something that I have always assumed were true however I never had a means to relate to it until now.
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