Life's like that, the little moments that we need to open right away, or they'll be gone, the things we need to say now, the small moments of care, the mighty acts of courage. A phone call with a friend, a longer chat than usual with a neighbor, snatching a moment with someone you love instead of picking up a room, I keep trying to make things perfect, but things are never perfect, especially rooms, but to stop and connect is the right thing. Open immediately.
The news of the day, well, it's going to get old, we need to understand the world we're in, the day we find ourselves, and think about this crazy planet and what we can do to extend ourselves to other people. I've procrastinated on something for so long it's embarrassing, it's past the perishable stage, but I'm going to do it anyway. Not just to get it off my list, but because I want to, I care about this person. What do we want to do? And if we don't act, will it be lost forever, or get brown spots, or turn to smelly mush?
Please open immediately: the gift of this day, the moment by moment opportunities, even the things we don't want to do, sometimes doing them opens another door and it frees us up. So much is perishable, a look at the news reminds us that. So, open to the end of the year and bring into the new year all that is required. May we forget and forgive, count our blessings and name them one by one. May we open the box of 2013 with all the hope we can muster, the gift of a new year, a new beginning. May we hug a child, rub a puppy's tummy, and look for the moments fleeing by, grab them like the string of a wonderful kite and let them catch the wind. I've never once gotten a kite into the air, but in my mind, it's up there, flying. Happy New Year!
Thanks, Joan. I never thought of moments being "perishable" before; however, you help me see that they are. It's easy to do the relatively unimportant things first either as a way to reasure ourselves that we will live forever. Or -- just as we wait to eat dessert until after dinner -- we do the "practical" stuff first to earn the right to enjoy these perishable moments. Both, of course, are illusions. And so, in honor of your wise words, I will do at least five perishable things tomorrow, and each day for the rest of the week. This may end up being the best New Year's Resolution of all.
Posted by: Kally Reynolds | January 01, 2013 at 09:57 PM
5 perishable things a day...I like that! Im going to try it, too. Im definitely having leftovers for dinner tonight -- I dont suppose food counts...? Many thanks for your good words, Kally -- Joan
Posted by: Joan Bauer | January 02, 2013 at 07:46 AM
Aw, this was an exceptionally good post. Taking a few minutes and actual effort to make a superb article… but what can I say… I put things off a lot and don't manage to get nearly anything done.
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