Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take,
but by the moments that take our breath away.
Hilary Cooper
Last week many of us, myself among them, spent at least a little bit of our time mocking a wiry old man for his doomsday beliefs and predictions. Then Joplin Missouri was obliterated. And, like the people along the flooded banks of the Mississippi and in Tuscaloosa Alabama weeks before, people in small towns in Oklahoma, Arkansas and Kansas had to start framing their lives in the before and after of great destruction. For these people, the world, as they knew it, did come to an end.
Brought to my knees by the stunning images of the devastation inflicted upon so many, I was also lifted by the amazing capacity of the human spirit. To stand in the midst of the rubble, the bits and pieces of your life scattered for miles around you, and say, “I’ll be okay, I’ll start over,” requires an incomprehensible amount of courage and faith. I hope it sees them through. To see the men and women of the National Guard, many just back from Afghanistan, there on a different kind of front-line, doing what needs doing; made me again, so thankful for their commitment to our country. The unimaginable stories of survival, sacrifice and kindness, greatly humbled me.
The events of the week have reminded me that life is precious and also fleeting. So, I hope the man and his two children, expecting to be home for dinner, weren’t in too much of a hurry to get to Home Depot to stop and kiss their wife and mother good-bye before they left. And, that the last words of the shopper in line at Walmart were in appreciation of the courtesy provided by the clerk. And, that the nurse, rushing to complete his duties, noticed that the patient in room 102 was feeling lonely and needed just a few more minutes of his time.
As A. C. Grayling points out in his Humanist Bible, “You are an actor in a drama, of which the author is jointly you and matters beyond your control.” We do not know what lies ahead. That, in itself, is reason enough to choose, not out of fear, but out of a consciousness of reality, to make our lives matter, everyday, in every way.
We can choose to be impeccable in our words and deeds. We can pick our battles, practice patience and kindness, make amends….say “I’m sorry,” and “I forgive you,” do the right thing – even when it’s the hard thing, be a dream maker not a dream snatcher, laugh more, judge less, and above all, love one another as if there were no tomorrows.
Be Breathless!
Dorothy
Dorothy: On this, the 47th anniversary of my sixteenth birthday, I send thanks to my parents, wherever they are, for this life, and to my family and friends for filling it with so much love and joy.
Susan: The time we spend with those we love, as well as with those who are in love with life is precious. It’s my intention to continue finding and cherishing friends, old and new, who truly love. They are the most precious gems.
On this Memorial Day weekend, we honor our country’s fallen heros, and those who loved them, for their service and ultimate sacrifice. Let us not forget how much they gave for our freedom, and today, for them, make it matter.
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