Two funerals and an earthquake
Life is way too short and precious. With the recent passing of my father-in-law, Jim Bowers, and a family friend, Hugh Lee, (both men 80+ yrs old) as well as the catastrophic destruction and death toll from the unexpected Turkey/Syrian earthquake (shifting tectonic plates!), my birthday this year has forced me to reflect more deeply. I didn’t have a hard time with 29 as some do. Didn’t have a problem with 40 as others do. My hardest birthday to this point was 46. I doubled it and it really seemed that I was over the hill and going down the other side with my hands in the air and a great big, “WEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!”
But 59 has stopped me in my tracks once again. The 2 funerals and the earthquake had a major influence on these feelings. And don’t get me wrong, I have loved my 50s as a human. I feel that I am really “getting life.” Empty nest is wonderful. Grandkids are the best thing besides Jesus.
My mom died when she was 69, of colon cancer. My dad, 10 years her elder, died when he was 87 (after a major stroke at 80 that he recovered from).
So I figure that 80 is a realistic target for my life. Of course, “a DC-10 could fall on my head, me laying on the ground all messy and dead Or a Mack truck could run over me or I suddenly die in my Sunday pew” (AA)
That’s 21 years, roughly 1100 Saturdays. As I said, Life is way too short. I’ve been at LCU for 22 years. Dang.
It sorta feels like I was served a great meal in 1964 and I have rushed through a lot of it. But as I get closer to that 80-ish number, I really want to chew my “food” longer and really savor every bite of life.
So reflecting on potentially the last 21 years (7600+ days) of my life (give or take 21 years), I started jotting down how I want to intentionally live the rest of my days on this big beautiful blue ball in the universe. (This is also what I would have liked to tell my younger self.)
Love more
Listen more (talk less)
Unlearn more so I can…
Learn more
Read more
Stop and smell the roses more
Reflect more
Embrace mystery more
Ask more questions
Pay more attention to the little details of this incredible journey called life
Be more grateful for those details
Be more curious about everything
Be more curious about the inner complexities of others
Appreciate the uniquenesses of others more
Be more fully present
Value others more
Honor others more
Build others more
Cheer and encourage more
Empower others more
Be more kind
Be more patient
Forgive more
Act in ways that I don’t need to seek forgiveness more
Bless others more with what they need
Thank others more
Open more doors for others
Smile more
Laugh more
Celebrate more
Play more
Surprise others more
Say yes more to the most important requests
Say no more to the unimportant stuff
Be more positive
Be creative more
Write more
Travel more
Walk more
Chew my food more (as a metaphor)
Eat less
Be more intentional about everything
Risk more
Pray more
Seek first the kingdom of God more
Live each day like it’s my last
…because it might just be.
