We only get one time around!

I'm having one of those "Aha" moments today and though I will come across to some as crazy I'm going to share anyway.  The name of my blog in itself is a testament to how I would like to view life.  It is a lesson that I think we all need to learn, and although I know as does everyone else that life is precious and should not be wasted for a second, things get in the way of living as if we REALLY know this!  So here is a true story of how my day has unfolded and the messages that I feel are being given to me around every bend.  For whatever it's worth.  


To begin with I am just finishing up reading a book called "A Weekend to Change Your Life" by Joan Anderson.  I have really enjoyed this book and feel that it has a hopefully given me information that I needed to not only read, but act on.  It was quite inspirational and eye opening and I can't wait to next read the book that was written before this by this author on the same subject called: "A Year By The Sea".    I was feeling empowered after reading this book and spending time thinking about how I could put some of the ideas from the book into practice in my life.  I was feeling that I could do so much more with this life that I have been given than what I have up till this point, even if only small things each day or baby steps, and that life is about taking the time to stop and smell the roses, and to pay attention to your surroundings and to be grateful for what each of us has available to us, if we just take the steps necessary to take advantage of our opportunities.  


This morning I went to breakfast with the family and as I was driving back home I heard a song on the radio that got my attention, I realized right away that I had never heard this song before and that it had a message to it that I really liked, and that I felt played right in to what I had taken away from reading this book.  I thought "what a strange coincidence that it played right now".  The song which turns out to be an old song is called: One time around by Michelle Wright. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdtZgFqQg6E  I realize the song has a lot to do with a relationship between two people but I was more interested in the chorus and the overall message the song was sending.  Then I got home and was surfing the internet, and I ran across some sad news on facebook.  An online friend of mine, who has been battling cancer was rapidly losing the fight.  It was shocking news, because she just posted not long ago that she had beat the small cell lung cancer that she had had.  She was the most positive person I have ever run across and she always knew she would beat her cancer due to her positive outlook and support of friends etc.  But her joy at having beat her cancer was short lived, because soon she learned that there were tumors attacking her brain, she had brain cancer!  She went about fighting that cancer with the same attitude as before, and I think that many of her online friends myself included really believed that she would beat this too, as she had done the last time if for no other reason than she refused to give up.  She hadn't been fighting the brain cancer for long at all and we thought she was doing "ok" all things considered, then about a week and a half ago I noticed I wasn't seeing any new posts from her.  Turns out a week ago she was admitted to the hospital after coming down really sick, the doctors seemed to think she would recover but things went downhill from there quickly and she was placed on life support, I didn't hear anymore until today when I learned all of this and that she had been taken off life support when the doctors said  there was no more they could do for her except try to keep her comfortable.   She was only 41!  I had never met her in person, but I took this very hard,  It was a total shock to learn things had gone so wrong so quickly, and then to think about how young she was, well it's yet another wake up call to say the least.  We don't get forever!  Then as I continued to look over my facebook page I ran across more things that I percieved as messages. 

There was this random post that I came across from today, strangely enough from a Christmas page that hardly ever posts now that Christmas is over:

  "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It's not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." Coach Carter 2005  

 Then there were these words written by another online friend of the woman who I spoke of earlier who was battling brain cancer:

 The news of (removed for privacy) being taken off life support has really affected me. I have never met her in person, but I was so impressed with her strength and fighting spirit when she would post in her threads about her battle with cancer. I was overjoyed when she posted she had beat it, and then I was devastated to learn about the brain cancer shortly after. So I just want to tell YOU, everyone that I interact with, that I care about YOU! Not only the people that I know and hang out with in person, but also my Facebook friends. I read about your triumphs and struggles. I see pictures of your families. I read about YOU. YOU have in some way touched me, and I care about you. I just wanted to let YOU know that ♥ If YOU ever need a friend, I am here. Life is too short to not let YOU know that. 

Then I ran across this picture, also posted today:

So that has been my day (so far) and the day is still not over by far.  I get the message (if I didn't , then I guess all that would be left is for someone to paint me a picture or hit me over the head with a hammer lol).  I'm not good at this writing thing, and I couldn't possibly convey this message with the same intensity and urgency that I felt after the way my day unfolded for me today, but if nothing else I hope that whoever reads this will at least take this much away:  We only get one go round, one chance, one life, and it goes much faster than we would like to think, for some it goes much much faster than for others!  Those of us who are lucky enough to have been blessed with more time than others should be thankful for that extra time and not waste it.  So take this day that you've been given and do as I hope to start doing more of, live it like their is no tomorrow because there  truly may not be!  Do something every day that makes that day count as special even if only to you!  And lastly to my family, my friends, my acquaintances know this:  You are special, you are cared about, you are loved and I am truly blessed and thankful to have each of you in my life, no matter what the context!  

"Life is what happens to you when you're busy making other plans"-John Lennon

As David and I were eating some "brunch" today, he received a call from his dispatcher that needed to be handled right away.  There was a vehicle that had broken down on the freeway (having to drop whatever you may be doing and go "run a call" is commonplace when you are a tow driver or have a tow driver in the family lol). We quickly learned that this tow would be going quite a distance.  There was no time to contemplate what I wanted to do, the call needed to be handled and since I was there, I found myself in the tow truck on my way to what would be a 5-6 hour roundtrip drive. This was not how I had intended to spend my one full day that I had without any kiddo's around. I love them to death, but lets face it everyone can use a break on occasion lol.  I began to think about the things I had planned on doing today, where I was planning to go etc. none of that would be happening now, because instead I would be in a tow truck for hours.  To be honest I was mentally doing quite a bit of grumbling, and whining to myself, you know the whole....poor me, my plans have been changed and now my "day  off" is ruined type of pity party although I was keeping it all to myself.  Hey at least I wasn't sharing my pity party.  Haha.

But a funny thing happened on the way to Heber lol.  I started taking in the beautiful scenery, I don't get to see greenery and beautiful pine trees very often and therefore I am easily amused.  Then I began to notice the definite change in temperature, it was beautiful compared to the valley temp of 111 that we were expecting today.  Eventually we went through a very short but refreshing rain storm.  This rainstorm left behind the most beautiful, breathtaking rainbow I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing.  It was  bright and looked as if it was directly in front of a mountain, and although my description couldn't possibly do it justice, it was wonderful and unique.  Then as we continued driving home I was blessed to see a equally beautiful sunset over the mountains, and then when we were almost home a huge black bird of some sort flew directly over our path on the freeway and it was carrying a snake!  EEk, I happen to love snakes but must admit it never occurred to me that a bird of any size would share my love of them, and it was one of those things that I tend to refer to as a once in a lifetime experience, or something I doubt I will have the opportunity to see again.  As it turned out the only thing I regretted about my last minute unplanned trip, was that I had not had time to get my camera and bring it along for the trip.  I would have loved to have had a chance to photograph so many of the special things I saw and enjoyed today!  Not to mention there was the added benefit of getting to spend some quality time with David, something we don't get much of a chance to do these days. 

I guess the point that I am trying to make is this:  Sometimes life doesn't go as  planned, sometimes- oftentimes actually... life has other ideas.  :-)  But that doesn't  mean we can't learn from or enjoy the experience, if we just open our minds and hearts to what is right in front of us.  Sometimes we just have to go with the flow and trust life to deliver to us just what we need in a given moment (even if we weren't aware that we needed it!). 

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Today I Can...by Anonymous

I woke up early today, excited over all I get to do before the clock strikes midnight. I have responsibilities to fulfill today. I am important. My job is to choose what kind of day I am going to have.
Today I can complain because the weather is rainy or I can be thankful that the grass is getting watered for free.
Today I can feel sad that I don't have more money or I can be glad that my finances encourage me to plan my purchases wisely and guide me away from waste.

Today I can grumble about my health or I can rejoice that I am alive.

Today I can lament over all that my parents didn't give me when I was growing up or I can feel grateful that they allowed me to be born.
Today I can cry because roses have thorns or I can celebrate that thorns have roses.
Today I can mourn my lack of friends or I can excitedly embark upon a quest to discover new relationships.
Today I can whine because I have to go to work or I can shout for joy because I have a job to do.
Today I can complain because I have to go to school or eagerly open my mind and fill it with rich new tidbits of knowledge.
Today I can murmur dejectedly because I have to do housework or I can feel honored because the Lord has provided shelter for my mind, body and soul.
Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be shaped. And here I am, the sculptor who gets to do the shaping.
What today will be like is up to me. I get to choose what kind of day I will have!
Have a GREAT DAY! Unless you have other plans.

Dream Big by Ryan Shupe and the Rubber Bands