9/7/24: Life is Short, but It Should be Long Enough

As I said there are days when I feel upset with how my life is going.  I feel like I have much more to give on this Earth.  I'm only 52.  I want to continue to be a part of my family and watch my kids grow.  I want to be helpful and good at my job.  I want to learn about and make my faith in God and the Catholic Church a bigger part of my life.

I used to listen to a podcast that ended every time with the phrase:

"Life is short, but it should be long enough."

 To me this means that while our time on Earth is finite, if we live it well and make the most of every moment, it can feel fulfilling and meaningful, as if it lasted longer than it physically was.

I did spend a lot of my life saying I'll do this or that next year.  Or I'll start that next month.  Or I messed up this week, so I guess I'll just try again to do that next week.  The problem is that there might not be a next year, a next month or a next week.  No one can know when their time comes.

And because of that philosophy I do think I missed out on a lot in my life.  It was only in the past few years I learned how much I love to go on cruises and put myself out there dancing with a bunch of strangers.  I (with the encouragement of Cindy) discovered how much I loved going to spend the week hiking and exercising at Movara in Utah.  I love the glitz and glamour of seeing shows in Las Vegas.  I am just realizing how much I love and need the Church.  The importance of The Virgin Mary and sharing in the Eucharist has never been so evident as in the last 6 months.  I should have gone to Vegas for the Stanley Cup Parade last summer.

I follow hockey and last week 2 brothers were killed by a drunk driver.  Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau were only 31 and 29 respectfully.  They both has young families and long lives ahead of them.  So this this live for today thing has really come to the forefront of my mind over the last week or so.  I can complain to myself about all the years that cancer is taking from me but then I see that people younger than me have their life taken from them I have to think to myself,  "I have no room to complain.  I've gotten so many opportunities."

So take this as advice from someone who has limited time left on Earth.  Make the most of your time.  Take a chance.  Don't put off something until tomorrow that you can do today.  You never know how many tomorrows you have left.

RIP Johnny and Matthew.