Wow! Another New Year is upon us and, if you are like me, you are wondering how the time flew by so quickly! In all honesty, there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t hear the statement “time is flying”. I often think to myself, “when did my children become men?” and “when did I become the far end of middle age?” Well, I hope that after you read this article you will perhaps begin this New Year with a new attitude, one which allows you to savor each moment before that moment becomes something you missed with the blink of your eye. It’s wonderful to have big plans and goals for the future, and looking forward to affording that fancy car or vacation home is great. But, smaller and simpler pleasures can bring you just as much fulfillment as the larger and more expensive ones. It’s just a matter of paying attention.
When I was young and working my first job, an older (50ish) co-worker said (and I remember it vividly like it was yesterday), “once you hit 40, life goes by like a speeding bullet”. Of course, being only 23 at the time, she was hitting a deaf ear. I heard what she said, but it really didn’t make much of an impact at the time. As I went through my life, every once in a while I would flashback to those words, especially now! She was so right. Where has the time gone? It really does feel that I blinked and here I am….many,many years later!
I think now about all the times I squandered perfectly wonderful days worrying about inconsequential things like how I didn’t look perfect enough, which friend liked me and which one didn’t, etc. Would I have done the same if I knew how fast time would go and how I would look back and wish I knew what I know now? It’s hard to say. But, I do know that in the present, I try to put things in the right perspective before ruining this valuable gift, which is….the present moment! Unfortunately, we tend to think we are going to live forever and we treat time as a commodity to take for granted. We waste our days on negativity, status seeking, and chasing the happiness that we say we will achieve once “our ship comes in”. We are oblivious to all the opportunities for happiness that surround us each and every day. If you are just existing in your life and waiting for things to change, I suggest you change your perspective starting now. You don’t want to reach the end of your life holding regrets about all you missed. Start prioritizing how you want to live your life, one that is filled with moment after moment of blessings. Find small, simple pleasures and sprinkle them throughout your day. They don’t have to be big things, no drum roll is required. For me, drinking my morning coffee while looking out onto the beautiful sunrise is a joy! I also love dancing every day. You’d be surprised how your cares and woes disappear while dancing to your favorite music, especially songs that bring back happy memories! Make your own list of the simple, pleasurable moments. You will be surprised at how many you come up with!
I have met many people who have gone through terrible illness. I have also met people who were in terrible accidents. All these people share the same emotion. They now appreciate a new found passion and appreciation for life that they took for granted before. They know that in a heartbeat, life can change. Each moment to them now is a gift that needs to be cherished. They now live with passion, opening their arms to embrace every fleeting moment.
Some of us ponder the meaning of life and what our purpose is. For each of us it’s a personal journey. The important thing to remember is that you don’t have to be the best at anything. You don’t have to sit on the sidelines of life because you are afraid of failure. Discover what makes you happy and then go for it. Do something that makes you come alive. Let me say it again: Life is short. If you have a dream, go make it happen. If you always wanted to visit Europe, then make a plan and go! If you are holding on to negative feelings… hate, anger or resentment…let them go. In the end, it doesn’t really matter. We must understand, and I wish I would have realized this as a young woman, that life is not meant to be complicated and stressful. Focus on what really counts!
There are 1,440 minutes in each day. How will you spend yours? Our life may be fleeting, but let’s make sure it doesn’t pass us by!
Copyright 2011, SusanKorwin
