This past weekend proved to me the beauty and endlessness of the Circle of Life. All in a 24 hour period I experienced several important life events:
- Dear friends welcoming into the world their first grandchild, a highly-adorable bundle of pink cuteness
- The beautiful and poignant memorial service celebrating the too-short life of the son of another dear friend
- The 65th birthday party of yet another dear friend (planned and hosted, mind you, by a woman who will be “only 93” in a few weeks).
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash
As you might imagine, it was a weekend of full of emotion. Yet the word “celebration” – celebration of life, celebration of memories, celebration of relationships – was the key theme throughout.
Here are a few of the messages and reminders I received as this 24 hour day unfolded. They are in no particular order.
- Gratitude for life and its pervasive insistence on renewing itself.
- Life is beautiful, wonderful, precious, and fragile.
- Babies are adorable and give us hope.
- Be intentional with the gift of life and time – and how you care for it and spend it.
- Likewise be intentional about how you spend your precious time – and who you spend it with – as this will color, impact, and influence you.
- Release any idle complaints about “getting old”; it’s an extravagant and self-indulgent trap of your own making.
- No one really cares what age you are.
- Instead of complaining, be grateful you’re still here.
- Consider that not everyone gets the opportunity to experience a long life.
- Likewise, age is merely a number therefore “acting your age” can be the biggest mistake you ever make.
- And who decided what “acting your age” is, anyway? Pfffft. Whatever.
- My nearly-93 year old friend will advise you to put the word “only” in front of your age. (E.g., “I’m only 58.” Can you feel how things shift when you do?)
- You are never too old to be young and full of life, laughter, and spirit.
- Others want to be inspired by you, and if you are lucky, you will get to hear about the many ways you have done so.
- Saucy instigators have all the fun. So be a saucy instigator.
- Everyone will have good luck and bad, triumphs and tragedies in their lives, especially if you live (and love) long enough.
- Accept this, and put the many lessons you learn to good use.
- The challenges you’ve dealt with can make you hard and cold – or more compassionate. You get to choose.
- Trust that when and where there is darkness, there will eventually be light.
- Be a light to others when their world is dark, so when you experience darkness others can be a light for you.
- Take care of yourself so you are strong enough to survive and overcome the dark – and celebrate the light.
- Laughter through tears IS the best emotion.
- Forgive and move on. If you don’t, you are the one who suffers most.
- Share fond memories whenever you can; it’s fun, inspiring, and meaningful.
- What’s more, your memories are unique – others may have forgotten. (Or may appreciate your embellishments!)
- The bigger your world and the circle of people you’ve loved and impacted in a positive way, the more you will be missed and celebrated, no matter what your age.
- Never give up on life, and it will never give up on you.
- Think of how you wish to be remembered – and live each day accordingly and intentionally.
Good words Patti
Patti,
Lovely writing, as usual, and I think many of these are keepers. I particularly like “No one really cares what age you are.” So much truth in a few words, and these days, if you don’t tell them, they probably would never guess!
Thanks for sharing your light.
Thank you, Larry and Kali’! Appreciate you reading and commenting!
Words of wisdom, my friend. Thank you for sharing.
Appreciate you reading, Fern!
No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lamp stand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. Matthew 5:15
Thank you Patti for reminding us to be the light for others.
Bless you, Tim
Appreciate this, Tim. And you are so right. What good is our light if we don’t share it?
Wise words& so brilliant to tie the full circle to life lessons!
Appreciate that, Connie!
Thank you for the reminder! Your last point reminds me of a story told by one of my former pastors. He would say, ” imagine that you are at a banquet with a couple of hundred people. You are the guest of honor. Many people at the banquet will stand and tell everyone about the type of person you are. Imagine what you would want them to say about you. Now, begin living your life so that they can say those things”.
Wise words to live by!
Blessings!
Lovely words, Kim! And interestingly, at both events, people did just that! Another point is to let the people in your life know what you mean to them and how they’ve inspired and encouraged you. Or made you laugh.
I always enjoy your writing Patti, and it seems the more trips around the sun, the more people we know to memorialize. Life is short and long and I love your suggestions and reminders!
xo,
Caren, only 63!
Thanks, Caren, for your kind words!