I am all about asking questions. I enjoy asking questions to spark conversations, engage with others, and learn. My grandson Abram has always asked me thought-provoking questions from a child’s point of view. “How do they make leather shoes? Where does the leather come from?” Not a typical question from a then four-year-old.
My question is, “How do you live?” Answering this question can gain a variety of viewpoints. Does it mean physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually? How do you look at the question?
I have heard people say, “I want to be remembered by….” “I want my legacy to be…” or “I want to leave this place better than I found it.” Do you think of statements like this? Maybe your thoughts are about what you are looking forward to in life and the afterlife.
When do you think people begin to start thinking about how they live life? Is it when they are preparing to retire? Is it when they receive news of a terminal illness? Do we begin thinking about how we live life on the day we are born?
No more questions
I have provided many questions to allow you to ponder over many thoughts. I will provide you with my thinking on when we begin to think about how we live life.
Life is a precious gift we receive. On the day we are born, I believe life is mapped out for us with a purpose. Our brains provide us with the ability to learn at our pace and to discover our freedom to make choices. In many other countries, the privileges we have in the United States are not the same, and we can recognize this with the power of choice.
We go through our lives making decisions multiple times throughout the day. It is through those choices our life develops shape. The core values and beliefs are designed as a foundation based on the surroundings, which influence our choices.
Using myself as an example, I feel very blessed to have been raised by parents who were uneducated, hard-working, service-oriented individuals who encouraged many things in my life. I went to church regularly, was involved in outside activities, education was a priority, and I learned how to work early.
I do believe people do not think about their lives until they are faced with the reality of retirement, nearing death, or a traumatic event. As I have watched people for some time now, I have observed people going about life as usual, and something happens to cause a significant change—a sudden loss of a spouse, job change, accident or illness, and life changes.
Measuring Up
In our lives, we are always looking at others. We compare ourselves to others regularly. Judging others, well, this is done all of the time. It drives me crazy! I have battled against this judgment and being compared for decades now! We need to stop comparing and judging now.
Today begin looking at life differently. As you wake to greet the morning sun, pause to be thankful for a day full of opportunities. We do not want to only look at the days in our life as a measurement of length. In each day, we will find in those opportunities the width of our reach in providing support to others, sending strength to those in need, or planting seeds of growth covering many countries. Along with each day, the depths of our blessings are measured in the volumes of water served to those who are thirsty as wells are dug. Our innovative ideas reach into the depths of space and travel through connections to every sparsely populated place on earth as we keep communications open in times of need. Life is measured not in days, length, width, or depth but in living fully in each moment: no judgments, comparing, or hate. Every life is a gift with a purpose. Choose to live yours!
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