Its easy to be jaded with the wonderful life you have, its easy because you take it all for granted – there is no doubt in my mind that 90% of the people I know just live each day like the last and forget the true meaning of this holiday. This holiday season is important to me because of a recent health scare I had… I kid you not – I almost wasnt here today to tell you about why its important to be thankful, to appreciate your love ones, and most of all take time to slow down.
I know the motions, I know the drain that life, work, family, money can put on you… I know there are pressures from every direction but the key is to make sure you have respect for it all. Just think about tomorrow if you werent here, how would your children be? how would your partner be? does it scare you? cause it sure as shit scared me… I woke up thanksgiving morning to a heart attack and since then I feel like my life is one of those Jimmy Stewart movies – I’ve found joy in the small things – I’m trying to reset the balance of my life… and I’m appreciating the time with my family. It’s so easy to be frustrated at a child – they cry and whine, we become annoyed… but if that cry and whine was a remembrance of life and the future you have it sounds sooo different. That’s why I ask to for you to keep this holiday in your heart, its so easy to overlook what the base of this holiday is, its not shopping, its not finding the perfect gift, or that really hard to find one, its being together.
For this holiday season – I ask one simple thing – Take a moment (take two) (take three) create a memory with your children… create a memory with your partner and most of all remember to take it all in. Life is short – we never know just how short until its almost ripped from us. Hug your children – Hug your partner… open that bottle of wine and just sit and relax and start to think about what you want to do this coming year that will be different from the last. For me its take time out – to create special memories with my wife and son… but whats on your list?
Thanks for the reminder. I have been trying to make life simpler. Enjoying being with family and friends, Flowers, nature … God has blessed me with so much!
Thanks for reminding me that I’d rather hear my son’s whine on my worst day, than hear nothing on my best day!
That is all too true. So glad that you are still with your family. We also had a scare this year. I am so incredibly lucky that at 37 I have both sets of wonderful grandparents living. One set has been ill and the other is probably healthier than me. My Grandpa from the healthy set had a heart attack shortly after Thanksgiving. That hit our whole family very hard. He is truly the most respected, best loved and most well deserving of all that is good, man that I have ever had the opportunity to know. I’ve decided to “interview” them this year for their childhood and early years memories, the ones that would be lost if they were gone. I can’t bear the thought. I’m going to make a book adding to it for the next 11 months as many memories as I can get them to share. I’m also going to start this with my parents and more slowly with my siblings. My step mom has early alzheimers and I’m afraid of losing her as well.
Thanks for sharing your experience and have a wonderful holiday!