Sunday, November 28, 2010

How do you Celebrate Life???

As I write this, I wondered if it was appropriate to share my thoughts about this on my blog. In fact, I thought about sending it to all my current clients at RRF. But then I thought not. I figured if they wanted to read my blog voluntarily then maybe this would strike a natural chord and not an obligatory one. You see I have been thinking alot lately about family the importance of relationships and my relationship with God and others basically. Enjoying Thanksgiving immensely because for some reason in spite of my busy-ness, I seemed to feel focused on my children and husband and extended family. And it felt good.

This Thanksgiving was the first time we had hosted family members at our house. We enjoyed it alot. The preparation, the engaging conversation and "picking up where we left off" with most of our cousins, aunts, and uncles, grandparents etc.

As the weekend came to a close and we were headed off to church, the cell phone rang.... My husband answered it jokingly as it was a friend from college one he had lost touch with through the years... But then his voice suddenly changed... from comedic dry wit to somber, quiet verbal gestures like uh huh, oh no, and I am so sorry..... When he ended the call I asked what was wrong. He told me one of our friends had lost their 17 year old son to a deadly car accident just last night. He lost control of the car, overcompensated, and flipped killing him instantly.


I tell you this not to sound morbid, but to speak of feelings that came over me that made an impact on me in the way I treat others... All of a sudden when I heard the news I felt a sickening pain  of a mother losing her son. I looked over at my boys in the back seat thinking they'll be driving soon. What if it happened to one of them....

My prayers go out to our friends who lost their son last night. Only God can heal their hearts and minds right now. But I leave you with this thought which extends from my thoughts and feeling of this tragic accident.

Life is precious.... how do you celebrate it??? Through shared times with loved ones? Through hard work? through physical activity? your favorite sport, your favorite food, your favorite book, your favorite pastime?

 I think of all that is healthy and good and think I would like to begin to celebrate my life and life of others more thoughtfully, more mindfully enjoying those around me exerting more patience and compassion for others, and the capabilities I have right now to enjoy myself on earth through movement, expression, and living life heart and soul.

I look at things like exercise in my life not as a chore but as a blessing.The ability to move is precious to me and so I love to exercise. It also brings immeasurable healthy healing of my mind (those endorphins that get my head in the right place, making me a better mom, wife, daughter, instructor, and friend. I absolutely love it and am thankful everyday that I can move well. I haven't been moving pain free lately. And I pray God will show me my path to healing although I can be quite stubborn at times and miss His obvious ways sometimes.

I leave you with this thought that still is quite vivid in my mind. I am blessed and those around me are blessed. Be thankful for the moments in your life... exert more patience with one another, communicate positively to one another, and exercise beautiful movement with one another in whatever form that might be. Life is precious and can be taken away in a single moment.

As I told my husband tonight after getting our Christmas tree he exclaimed "really do we have to put the lights on tonight?" ( you know the sentiment, I'd rather wash windows, do laundry or pull teeth than hang the tree lights....)I said well honey it beats the alternative, we could be dealing with alot more pain that that, like what our friends are going through right now.

Needless to say the lights didn't seem to be big deal one way or another so I exerted patience on not hanging the lights. There are really more important things in life. Instead, I went back upstairs to be with my boys....in awe of just how precious they are....

1 comment:

Lauren Brooks said...

Betsy,

Thank you for sharing this post. What you shared is the worst fear of my entire life. There is nothing worse in life than losing your child. It makes you stop and really appreciate each and every breath with the ones you love. Taking a moment and capturing the little things and not sweating the big ones.
My heart goes out to your friend and I hope his family is able to find peace and happiness despite this terrible tragedy.