Sunday, February 3, 2008

living

I had a chance recently to sit with my teacher. We talked about lots of things - kind of a freefall of conversation. During the conversation I spoke about a fear I have. That fear is that I will live to be 90 years old. I favor my mother's side of the family and they live long. So unless for some reason I am invited to meet my maker a few years early I'm fearful that I will reach that age and find myself alone and old (duh). We sat for a minute and then she asked me to recall my friends and family that were gone. My friends lost to AIDS. My friends lost to addiction, or those who had just been lost too early in their lives. My dad died at 58, my brother is lost in addiction. There are so many that are gone, too many. So she suggested that what better way to honor them then to live life to the absolute fullest. To grasp for everything life had to offer, to enjoy everyone and everything I had the chance to enjoy. To live life for those who could not. To not waste a single moment of the 35 years I have left. Ya know that's a lot of dancing, laughing, eating, and loving. It's a lot of reaching out to others who need help. It's a lot of learning and a lot of teaching. So I say to those of you that are reading this – live! It doesn't matter what you fear - don't let it steal one more minute of your life. Live for all those you have lost. Wouldn't you expect the same from those you one day will leave behind?