“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” ~Mary Oliver”
(Because shit happens.)
Life is too short for anger, frustration, and impatience or the seething it causes deep within…
(Because friends get cancer.)
Life is too short to not embrace the glorious, profound, hilarious moments that are placed before us…
(Because loved ones die unexpectedly.)
Life is too short for assumptions, prejudices, silences, and hurt feelings…
(Because children are killed by drunk drivers.)
Life is too short for doing what you think someone else wants you to do or following along to avoid making waves.
(Because earthquakes crumble cities and crack open lives.)
Life is too short for material things to have a higher importance than actual people.
(Because the Crappening* is happening.)
Life is too short to not stand in your own truth, embrace who you are and ignore the rest.
Because, if (truly) we are only given this life, this day, this moment…
And (truly) we are only in control of a very few pieces of the puzzle…
Then why the hell would you want to spend it being anything but happy?
I mean, really! Life is too short to:
- work in a job you hate
- live in a home you’re not happy with
- feel required to do x, y, & z
- worry about having a spotless house
- wear uncomfortable clothes
- deny yourself dessert
- stay angry
- allow others to make you sad
- push your dreams aside
And so when a (very young, full of life, sweet, gorgeous, super smart) friend was diagnosed with cancer a few months ago, Kim and I decided that life really is too short to do anything but that which makes us happy…
Because, truly, we are only promised this very moment…
This moment and nothing more…
But sometimes you need a kick in the ass to remember it.
So,we decided to go confidently in the direction of our dreams…
(Because fresh eggs and vegetables are worth the back-breaking, sweat-filled, exhausting work of it all.)
We decided to consciously let go of the bullshit that surrounds us all the time…
(Because, ain’t nobody got time for that!)
To ignore the fluff and the distractions and all the whispers in our heads telling us to do this or that…
(Because the gentle whispers of our own timeless spirits are so much more beautiful and encouraging.)
To live in a home that makes us happy…
(Instead of one that makes us sick.)
To live the life we’ve dreamed of for ages…
(Because dreams are only dreams until you act on them.)
To work meaningful jobs that bring us joy and fulfillment…
(Because we spend so.much.time doing them!)
And to pursue hobbies and interests that challenge us and allow us to be creative.
(Because no one wants their obituary to read,
“She was really great at sitting on the couch and watching TV…”.
Right Jacqueline?)
Because, truly, we are only promised this very moment…
We might as well enjoy it…
And each and every one of them that comes after this one.
So, tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?
xoxo,
M
“It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.
It doesn’t interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive…
I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own, if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, to be realistic, to remember the limitations of
being human…
I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and still stand on the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, “Yes!”…
It doesn’t interest me who you know or how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me and not shrink back.
It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you, from the inside, when all else falls away.
I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.”
~ Oriah Mountain Dreamer
*Curious about what the hell the “Crappening” is? Click here.
So sorry to hear about your friend. I have a couple extended family members battling cancer, and it is scary. I’ve always loved the quotes you cited, especially the last one – puts things in perspective when you think about who you’re actually living for.
-Jaime
Thank you so much, Jaime. Sometimes we need a kick in the ass to remind us who and what we’re really here for 🙂 Glad to have the opportunity to be reminded!
And we know as far back as at least the Romans, and surely much farther even than that, the concept of “carpe diem” has been with us. Surely just having this idea in the forefront of one’s mind will serve to help us act a bit more on it. I hope. As I get older, now 58! (egad, how did that happen?), I am simply stunned at how quickly life flies by. So cliche, I know, but so true. It’s wonderful that at this relatively early point in your life, you are aware of and acting on the “seize the day” philosophy.
I am continuously reminded of its importance. Some times it truly does take some ass-kicking to get back in the swing of living in the present moment, but the rewards are not to be underestimated 🙂
I really enjoyed this and it is so true! Thank you for the gentle reminders 🙂 Nancy
Thank you, Nancy <3
It’s so easy to get distracted by responsibilities and being an adult, whatever the heck that means. Thanks for the reminder. Hugs for you.
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Thank you!!!!
well done. There are really too many thoughts running through my head after reading this to give a coherent comment. I loved this post. Thank you. I agree and since I made some changes in this direction, I am so much happier and peaceful
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