“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.” -Mark Twain
I come from a very large family. I cannot tell you how many cousins I have unless I sit down and count them. On Memorial Day the first of our generation passed away. It’s safe to say that each of us in the cousin bunch are heartbroken. He lived almost 39 years…a long time for some who have lost loved ones too early and such a short time for those who are still living and have seen many more years.
Losing someone always causes a pause for reflection. Most often we don’t know that we are living our last day. How differently would we live if we did? Would we rush out the door and forget to kiss those lips one more time? Would we take the day off and intentionally spend it loving and laughing with our favorites?
I know this. Life is unequivocally a gift. I believe it was meant to be lived with passion, shared, enjoyed and cherished. There is not a perfect life. We cannot wait for our “perfect situation” to be happy. Life can be challenging, sad, frustrating and uncomfortable. These difficulties can still enhance our overall experience. How much strength have you gained from the challenges? How much more joyful are you because you have known sadness? How much more thankful are you for good times because you have experienced life’s frustrations?
"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love."
1 John 4:18
What is keeping you from living your best life? Are you afraid of rejection? Are you afraid of failure? Are you afraid that you haven’t earned it? Do you fear that you do not have what it takes?
Live with intention. Learn from your mistakes. Love deeply and passionately. Listen to each other. Play and laugh until your cheeks hurt. Appreciate your friends. Learn from others instead of judging them. Do the thing that you dream of doing and if it is not currently attainable, then plan for it and take baby steps until it is.
Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
James 4:14
Neque metus neque poenitet
In loving memory.
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