Life's too short
I say it a lot; Life's too short. It is part of my creed and it is a reminder about what is and is not important. If I get to ranting and raving about something too much or if I am carrying anger and resentments, the thought comes to me, life is too short.
Many people go through life bothering themselves and making mountains of mole hills. In so doing, they miss the enjoyment of life. For instance, right this moment as I type, I am aware of Bear chewing his dog biscuits in the kitchen. I hear the crunching. The fresh smell of coffee is wafting in and calling me for that first cup. If my mind were occupied with social intrigue, I would miss all of that.
When I stepped out of the house in the predawn light to fetch the newspaper, I sensed the cool and less humid air. The birds were singing and it was a peaceful world. Soon I will step outside again for my run then go about my day. Worry could have blinded me to all of that.
I see people all the time upset about the smallest things. They are big things to them at the time, but in an hour or two, they will be upset about another big thing.
Life is too short for all of that.
In my line of work, hospitals are not the most secure places to work. When I first started working, I stayed worried about being downsized or cut. I carried that worry with me, but there was really nothing I could do about it except to be a good worker and hope that if they did downsize, they would keep me.
I worried so much that I realized the reality of my worry couldn't be worse than what I was doing to myself by constantly fretting about it. In a way, I accepted the possibility that I might lose my job. If that happened, I would figure something out, I reasoned.
Over the years the security of my jobs has come and gone, but I have always had a job.
Life is too short to get high blood pressure about something beyond my control that might happen.
To let "it" go, "it" being the thing that you bother yourself with is to accept it; accept that it could happen, but know you will deal with it and it will be OK.
Are you afraid you will be alone, unemployed, will die, will run out of money, or be left out? Are you jealous or angry about something, real or imagined? Are you the type to take on every problem as if it were your own?
Life is too short for all of that.
The way I figure it, I am going to die, so I want to live now. My health will eventually head south, so I will use my body and do things now. I don't know the future and I may be left alone at some point, so I will cherish the relationships I am blessed with now.
Life is too short and I don't want to be sitting around mulling over regrets and thinking about the things I should have done.
Life is like an ice cream cone on a summer day. You can eat and enjoy it or you can try to save it, but it will melt away into a useless puddle of goo on the sidewalk.
Now where is that dog leash, I have to go enjoy life some more. Life is too short not to.
Until the next time
John Strain