Seize the Moment

For days now I have been trying to think of a way to say what I want and not have it sound cliché or, worse yet, stupid. It is ridiculous how many people find a phrase and say it so much that it starts to lose the intended meaning. That is exactly what I don't want and, while it is flattering to be quoted, I didn't write this so don't quote me.  There, now that that is out of the way, let's get to the point...

For most of my life, at least since I was 9, I have said that quality of life is more important to me than quantity of days. There is quote that might better explain it; "I'd rather have thirty minutes of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special." ~ Steel Magnolias. It is the truth for me. At 9 years old I probably could not have expressed it in such a heartwarming manner but I certainly have lived my life in this manner for a very long time.

Unfortunately, the last year or so has kind of flipped that around for me. Certainly there have been moments where the quality far outweighed the quantity of time (see this collage of photos from June 2012) but more often than not I have found myself simply existing. That was never part of my plan but we don't always get to control how the moments play out in our lives.

 I learned very early on that I can control very little in my life and that is, a lot of times, a great thing. I would not have had some of the amazing experiences I have had if I insisted on being in control of the situation. Control is important in some situations (medical treatment, for example) but I am far more accustomed to not being in control...but I digress.

Existing seems like the easiest path when you're not feeling well. It is easier to sit back and relax than to continually push for a quality moment. That being said, I have come to the conclusion that I don't want to live that way. I have been given the opportunity, denied to so many, to live. I should not waste that opportunity by simply existing in it. Will every day be fun filled, memory making, never forget kind of day? No, probably not but that doesn't mean that I don't owe it to myself and life to live it.

I recently finished a book, Forever is Over by Calvin Wade, that basically summarized what I want out of life in the first chapter. Obviously I am well aware that not everyone can or will choose to live their life this way but, if you do, do it well and with passion. For yourself, your children, everyone you know because life is worth it.

Enjoy it, learn from it and more than anything, never take your health for granted. Don’t just seize the day. Seize the moment. Every single one.