It could be that in the last days while you were eating smoked turkey and cabbage rolls, or opening presents after eating waffles and bacon on Christmas morning, or driving around town looking at the holiday lights, you might have missed this article about looking death in the face. I am only mentioning it because I overlooked it myself. Luckily, my sister Dottie passes these important reads on to me. So I am passing it on to you. One good turn deserves another, or something like that.
Last year, I intended to write a post about my plan to start living each year of my life as if it were my last. Practicing if you will. Because I want to make sure the things that I think I would want to do if I only had a year left to live, are really what I want to spend my time on. Meaningful things. And, in my line of work, we know that you usually don't get the one year warning signal to wake up and pay attention.
Even though I didn't write that post on this blog, I kept some notes. Here is how I thought I should focus things:
1. Eliminate shoulds - no sense wasting time on things we don't want to do if there is a choice (and there often is)
2. See important people more regularly - mainly my sisters and brother
3. Eat good food - !!
4. Make stuff
5. Be outside more
6. Travel widely
In retrospect, I am going to keep all these things on the list for next year. After you read the NY times article, please tell us, ..."how will you transform the nature of how you live"?
Timely, as we prepare for another new year and think about resolutions or goals, or words for the year. From where I sit, you lead a very full life. I think two things I would change are to see people I love more often and to spend more time outdoors, loving nature. Those are the things I will most regret leaving when I go.
Posted by: Chris Oliveira | 12/28/2016 at 08:45 AM
The end of the year was incredibly hectic and chaotic. I realized it was Christmas morning and I had missed most of it. I vowed to not let that happen again and keep more mindfulness of my time and how I want to spend it.
Posted by: Amy | 12/28/2016 at 02:14 PM
Annie Dillard said it wonderfully: "How we spend our days is how we spend our lives." This subject has weighed on my mind for more than a decade, resulting in my first decision: Spend as little time cleaning as possible...put it off till I can't put it off any longer; in this way I will have spent the least possible time doing something odious. However, when the dirt becomes intolerable, then I get to enjoy the results of my efforts. As for the rest of my list, I'll have to get back to you after I do the floors.
Posted by: jeanette sclar | 12/28/2016 at 07:32 PM
Annie Dillard and Mary Oliver, as well:
"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"
I love thinking of my life as wild and precious! For my part, I will try to settle down and simply live where I am, instead of always looking for another better place/house/town/state/country. So much energy spent on the search, I will use here. Now. Thanks for provoking thought!
Posted by: Kathleen | 01/04/2017 at 11:34 AM