“It’s only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth—and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up—that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had.” Elizabeth Kübler RossAdmin Options
I don’t know if it’s my age or just an odd springtime melancholy that has my mind wandering to the brevity of life. Odd—when I was younger, I never stopped to consider just how short life really is. Back then, life seemed to be a long never-ending highway. Now that I’m older and looking toward the winter of my life, I can see that the highway is a hell of a lot shorter than I had imagined.
Now, I know that young people don’t want to stop and consider the brevity of life. Hell, most older folks probably don’t either. But, in my humble opinion, until one truly stops and takes an accounting of the distance they have come, they will never be able to properly navigate the distance that lies ahead of them. How can a person find his/her true north if he/she has never even looked at the path that lies underneath his/her feet?
Sad to say, too many people spend their precious time just struggling to get through. I understand that bills have to be paid; children have to be clothed and fed; and bosses have to be appeased. These things are all parts of our journey. But, and this is the important thing to remember, they are just parts. They are not the whole. My life, your life, is not just about paying bills, feeding children, and appeasing the boss man. My life, your life, is so much more than that.
To me, life is an awe-inspiring miracle. I am humbled to be here on this planet at this time in history. The thought that I probably only have twenty-five years left here makes me feel a little sad. Don’t feel sorry for me. This sadness is a good thing. It has imbued me with a sense of awesome gratitude. I am so very grateful for my life, and I am grateful for every step of my current soul journey. Has my journey been easy? I’d be lying to you if I said it was. To be perfectly honest, at times, I have found my life journey to be grueling and painful. Of course, it has also been exhilarating and joyful. But, and this is a big but, it has NEVER been boring.
My life has been my greatest teacher. Its lessons have expanded my heart and accelerated my spiritual evolution. Yeah, I’ve been pissed off and pissed on; but in hindsight, I can see that it all had a weird kind of cosmic purpose. I’m a better person for it all. Yes, I said all—and no, I will not go into what is included in the “all” of all. I’m old enough to realize that I have a limited number of present moments in which to abide, so I refuse to allow myself to dwell in the past.
We are here on this planet to learn. Our lessons may not be fun. Sometimes, they may even hurt. To be honest, I have a feeling my lessons would have been a lot less painful had I just quit struggling and allowed myself to go with the flow. But, then again, the virility of youth does tend to blind a person to the effects of unnecessary struggles. For some odd reason, youth, in and of itself, seems to predispose most human beings to fight first and ask questions later.
Ah . . . but the Universe is not mocked! Balance must be maintained. What was pushed into the dark ethers of youth will manifest itself, as it must. Like the cycling of the seasons, the cycling of humankind will not be abated. When the unbending imperviousness of youth gives way to the more yielding permeability of middle age all of these unanswered questions seep to the surface. “Who am I?” the man in the mirror cries. “Why am I here?” the woman asks. “Is this all there is?” they both wonder. Answering these questions is never easy. But not to answer them is not just an act of cowardice; it is an act of self-abandonment.
Several years ago, I decided to take responsibility for my own life. I chose to love myself enough to start answering the hard questions. The answers I received forced me to start making changes in my life. It has not been easy. I have had to make some tough choices—choices I never thought I had the courage to make. With each choice to love myself and honor my own life, however, I grew stronger. I know I will need this strength as I step more fully into my true self. But I am prepared to do whatever it takes to live MY OWN LIFE! Are you?
Remember,
"Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma—which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary." (Steve Jobs)
I know this is not my normal blog. I don’t really even know why I’m writing this. I just know I have to write it. I guess I just want to encourage each one of you to be true to yourself, to walk your own path, and to find your own true north. If you want to write, write. If you want to dance, dance. If you want to paint, paint. If you want to write poetry, write poetry. Whatever your heart is telling you to do—you need to do it, and you need to do it now. You are only allotted so much time here on this planet. And believe it or not, you came here bearing gifts. Gifts that only you can bestow. The world is waiting for you. Your time here is limited, so put on your dancing shoes, and shine bright.
“Your job, should you choose to accept it, is to give birth to yourself.” Andrea Mathews
Nuff said . . .
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A great eye opener article by my friend Phoenix, who is an amazing writer and thinker.. Enjoy!
