Because I can’t NOT write about this…
I had a few other posts I had planned on writing…
my adventures in baby food…
making time for your marriage with a new baby…
among other things, but I will get to those; I know you can’t wait, but you must.
I have sat here trying to find the right words…trying to figure out how to write this post, what I want to say, how I want to start.
I have always found it to be terribly hard to write about random things if there is something of importance on my mind. It is hard for me not to share things with you guys. (my first trimester of pregnancy I just wanted to write about it!!!) My writing will come across as forced if I am pretending to care about something. And so with that said I must just write what is in my heart…which hurts today.
Yesterday the world lost an amazing women. The mother of a friend from high school passed away. I know I cannot do her life justice with my words, but it is all I can think about, and so I feel compelled to write something. The great thing about facebook is that you can keep up with people even if you aren’t living close by or see them…which is the case for me with this mother and her two wonderful children. She used to always comment on my blog when I first began writing. Those comments always meant the world to me. My thoughts and prayers are with her family at this time and she will be missed!!
When something like this happens I think it is pretty hard not to want to reach for your loved ones and pull them closer…I also think it is a natural thing to also look at your own life and realize how precious and short it really is.
There is a book I have owned and read over and over and over again for some time now that I find myself wanting to read yet again. The book it titled:
“the five secrets you must discover before you die” by John Izzo PhD and you can find it here
I am not sure where or exactly when I even bought this book, but I have fallen in love with it over and over again.
The author decided to do research and write this book: “because of my lifelong search to discover what it means to live a full and meaningful life.”
He goes on to interview many “wise elders” (they were all nominated by other people as wise elders who have lived a long life and have something important to teach us about living) He asks these elders questions such as:
“What brought you the greatest happiness?”
“What are your regrets?”
“What mattered and what turned out not to matter?”
“What do you wish you had learned sooner?”
From these interviews he outlines five things that he finds all happy and wise people eventually discover and live. He decided to use the term “before you die” in the title to remind us that there is urgency in discovering what really matters in life.
I could go on and on forever about how this book is such a tool for me in life. When I am ever feeling down or defeated, or if something happens in life, like my friends mother passing away younger then she should, I have grabbed for this book. It reminds me to live my life in the moment…it reminds me that life is short and being happy is the most important thing in the world.
So say a quick prayer (if you are the praying type) for this dear family, and go grab this book…and remember to slow down and soak up some love and happiness today!!!