The way I see it, the best way to do that is to embrace what is most enjoyable. I may be an old man, but don't ever say that to my face. You might jolt me out of my level of denial.
The sound of Tim McGraw's "Live Like You Were Dying" was rolling around inside my head. Today, for the second consecutive day, the lyrics are still on the periphery of my consciousness. Do you remember the words?
He said
"I was in my early forties
With a lot of life before me
When a moment came that stopped me on a dime
I spent most of the next days
Looking at the x-rays
And talkin' 'bout the options
And talkin' 'bout sweet time"
I asked him
"When it sank in
That this might really be the real end
How's it hit you
When you get that kind of news?
Man, what'd you do?"
And he said "I went skydiving
I went Rocky Mountain climbing
I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named Fumanchu
And I loved deeper
And I spoke sweeter
And I gave forgiveness I'd been denying"
And he said
"Someday I hope you get the chance
To live like you were dying"
He said
"I was finally the husband
That most of the time I wasn't
And I became a friend a friend would like to have
And all of a sudden going fishin'
Wasn't such an imposition
And I went three times that year I lost my dad
Well I, I finally read the Good Book, and I
Took a good, long, hard look
At what I'd do if I could do it all again
And then I went skydiving..."
Under a cloak of transparency, I can't say that I'm delusional enough to think that I'd enjoy skydiving, Rocky Mountain climbing or managing 2.7 seconds on a bull named Fumanchu. However, the concept of loving deeper, speaking sweeter, and living with a sense of forgiveness strikes a chord with me.
I got a jumpstart on the New Year yesterday by driving the Miata to the BBQ place. It was a 25-minute drive. Of course, the rule is: "If the wheels are moving, the top has to be down."
I opted to wear a light sweatshirt and plaid shorts. The ride on two-lane back roads was most enjoyable.
Isn't it true, the only time we have is now, and the only place we have is here? I may be delusional, but I sense that regret is a word that both applies to decisions made that didn't work in our best interest and can also be a defining moment in things on our bucket list we never took the time to embrace.
Tip for the day: It is time to eat and drink out of your best dinnerware. Seriously, we have crystal glassware that we’ve never used. We’ve had the set for over forty years. It is a miracle that the glassware has endured the many moves we’ve made.
I think it is now time to take our chances of getting our hands on the Waterford and forget about the chances of it getting broken.
My only New Year's Resolution this year is to live like I was dying.
All My Best!
Don