Life moves along....

Life seems to move along much too quickly and it seems to even go faster as the years go by. It is so easy to get caught up in its busyness, its race, whether at work or at home. There is always something that needs attention or completion. Sometimes work seems never ending, an endless battle. Even home chores become never ending and a race to get done just to have things in place to begin the work week all over again. I know. We tend to get caught up. A vicious cycle which we usually describe as being in a rut, “same thing over and over again”. Then life can seem boring and we fall down from there. Usually, we don’t recognize this cycle. It becomes so routine and habit, its effects on us are unseen or unnoticed. Hence the saying “take time to stop and smell the roses”.

One thing, I’ve heard that helps show someone just exactly how “routine” their life has become, is to keep a diary or journal. Over time, one will begin to see patterns in their day to day life and if they are not seeing out of the ordinary, fun, spontaneous actions, then perhaps it is time to add some. Or to “step out of the box” and do something a bit different from time to time. Or change a regular routine in some form, and this can be as simple as maybe changing a regular route into work; going a different way.

Following is a comment left by my niece. Her words give an importance message which I felt are certainly worth us all looking at in ourselves. Kim has given permission for me to print here and to write about. Her message is as follows:

“Memories; family and friends. Sometime it is difficult in the busyness of life. It becomes hectic with responsibilities and we tend to put off things that are most important to us. I was asked to go to a get together at a friend’s house this weekend. With my schedule even that becomes a chore as I have responsibilities at work and at home. It is hard. I guess I have to get “everything done”. I have been trying to spend more time with family and friends, but it just seems like something comes up all the time.

My friend, Karen, whom I have become good friends with over the years, is having a get together. Did I really want to go at first? No. Why? Just because there is too much to do. Well, after hearing about the death of a former co-worker, I decided that I was going to go see my friend. I don’t care if I don’t weed my flowers or if the laundry gets done. I don’t care if I have to ride one of my horses there; I’m going to go see my friends!

This friend is one whom always makes time to see me, so it’s my turn. Ever feel like that? I bought some goodies to bring over for the get together and that’s what I plan on doing. I’m just thinking now of the importance of “don’t put off seeing someone you care about because you have laundry, cleaning or whatever else… just do it. Life moves pretty fast..do and see what you can today because you might not be able to tomorrow.”

We all have done this. I know that I certainly have and continue to do. I remember some questions that was asked from time to time in some group activity of sorts…it was questions of exactly this topic and the questions to think on in answering were something like these: “Who have you not spoken to for a long time? Can you think of a relative or friend that maybe you have not spoken to or not seen for a long time? Perhaps you think of them from time to time and you wonder about them, how they are doing, what they’ve been up to all this time. Maybe there are times you think back at the importance they once or still do infact, have in your life. What part did they have in your life? Why have you lost touch? What keeps you from calling?...And, most importanly....why not make that call today?

As Kim’s message states…”tomorrow may be too late” Who is to ever know?

I know, this past little vacation that my sister and I took together is something that we’ve wanted to do for years and talked about but neither of us either had the time or the timing just was not right. Finally, we just up and did it. Sometimes spontanouse is best. Just get up and go with your thoughts and ideas and then it happens, seemingly just as it is suppose to. We’ll always remember that time together where as on the other side, had we not done, it might have been a life time regret of “I wish I had”.

I’ve started reading a little book which I recently purchased while on vacation. The author is Mitch Albom, whom wrote the books “Tuesdays with Morrie”, and “The Five People You Meet in Heaven”. Now he has this new book out called “for one more day”. It explores the question: “what would you do if you could spend one more day with a lost loved one?” It is the story of a broken man who goes back in his life and sees his mother once again whom had passed away 8 years before. “What follows is the one ordinary day so many of us yearn for, a chance to make good with a lost parent, to explain family secrets, and to seek forgiveness” So…I’m going to leave these questions with you, who read this. Please, feel free to leave your answers or even an answer to one of these questions that fits you best, in a comment or email them to me at: opal@metrocast.net (it would be interesting to put on this site for all to see, in time, and no doubt to see how much we are all alike in many ways).

What would you do if you could spend one more day with a lost loved one?

What would you do if you could spend one full day with a loved one?

Why not do it?

(hope you have a good time with your friend, Kim)