Make the Most of it Count

i wrote a post a couple of years ago titled, ‘Your Obituary Starts Here’ which i need to flesh out a little i think, because we don’t say or think enough about that.

When i turned 40 last year, among other things my wife got my best friend from college to bake a Boob Cake [yup, exactly what you thought when you read that] and put together a bunch of the things i had wanted to happen at my funeral one day, so that i could more sensibly enjoy them while i was still alive.

Last night we had some friends around at the place we are staying at with our old housemates in Americaland for a bit of a Generosity Dinner, which involves pooling some money and sharing some needs of people we know and then coming up with some ideas together that might be able to help them.

And the other day, tbV posted this short summary video of the Justice Conference she just attended in Chicago, which literally moved me to tears, even though it was just sound bytes.

Three short posts and a video – if you have ten minutes then follow those links and really take them in. Are you making the most of you life count for something? Am i?

Are you involved in conversations that count? Are you reading things that are important and informing you about life and how to live it better? [interspersed with Terry Pratchett novels of course – it doesn’t all have to be too serious, but let some of it be] Is at least some of your time involved in volunteering or mentoring or investing in key relationships? Are you taking time to listen to people that are not the typical voices you listen to? [Like reading books/blogs/news written by people who are not your colour, age, religion] Is any of your thinking, dreaming, bucket-listing related to world-changing ideas and plans? Or country-affecting? Even just local neighborhood, school or family transforming?

Basically, does your life count? How much of a difference are you involved in making? If the answer to this depresses you, don’t let it. Rather change something. It is never too late.

Life is too short to simply exist. We have to live. And the more of us that really start living, the better. Embrace life. Thrive. You are never to old to learn and you are never too old to make some kind of difference. There are too many dehydrating starfish on the beach and not enough little children, tossing them back into the waves one by one.

Live to the full.

Yes, I said ‘Live’ not ‘life’ cos ‘Live’ is a verb. and cos it’s me.

my friend and former wedding photographer Bex Meissner sent me this link to a great article on the top five regrets people have before they die and it is well worth reading the whole article, but just to whet your appetite the top five regrets people mentioned are:

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

2. I wish I didn’t work so hard.

3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

Really good time to give those some attention now and see if any of those areas are lacking in your life and make better choices and live differently if necessary… but to read the explanation of each point go and read the complete article here.

exits strategy

i don’t understand existers.

you know, people who exist. who go thru the motions. have a job, maybe have a family, have some kind of church life (or not) but that’s it. no huge hunger for more – meaning of life – changing the world – world domination (in my case, for Jesus) – adding to someone, or some community’s life or meaning.

it’s like they don’t even care. How do you not even care? is it even possible.

Live. Thrive. Dominate. Excel. Dream. Hunger. Dare. Vibe.

but exist? i really don’t get it.

and there are a LOT of them.

and once more it comes back to my faith and my belief and lifestyle cos Jesus said “I have come that you may have life and have it to the full.” – how can that not be attractive?

i understand christians have gotten it wrong (a lot) and churches have messed up (a lot) and there have been some shocking role models or anti-models and a LOT of bad has happened in the name of religion. but the heart and essence of it – the life i have chosen to follow – is life to the full – abundant life – love God, love people – reach out to those in need.

Please don’t exist. PLEASE! Flee from existing. Run from mediocre. From settling. From the rut. From survival.

Choose life. And live it to the full.

Full, or fool?