The Simple Answer for A NEW YEAR!

You barely need to scratch the surface of the “self-help” section before you are assaulted by endless publications to help you find “your calling.”   We are all in pursuit of our calling, our mission.  Why are we here on the third rock from the sun?  What is that thing that is going to make our existence significant?

At the New Year most of us set out on an analysis of our life.  What do I want to change?  What’s working?  What’s not working?  Wouldn’t my life be perfect if I could lose 20 pounds?   That new job is going to be the thing that brings me satisfaction.  If I can find the man/woman of my dreams that would be the ticket.  The resolutions come fast and furious.

Why is it that we never see ourselves as complete?  Are we not children of a loving God?  Are we not perfectly made?  Why can’t we trust that our Heavenly Father knows our mission and will allow us to complete it to his specifications and not ours? 

I certainly don’t have the answer to this question.  Like most of you reading these words I question the reason for my existence daily.  How can I matter?  Do I even matter?  Is this all there is? 

Having been blessed with the opportunity to work and talk to seniors on almost a daily basis I went on a mission to ask my dear senior friends, “What if anything would you change about your life?”   The answers may or may not surprise you but they certainly gave me something to think about heading into the NEW YEAR.

Here is what they shared….

“I wish I’d traveled more, experienced more, risked more.”

 “Knowing what I know now…I wouldn’t have been so afraid.”  

 “I should have worked less and played more.”

 “It took me a long time to realize that possessions are not that important -the real value is in people and relationships.” 

“I wish I had realized sooner to take more JOY in the simple things.”

“I should have been kinder, more forgiving.” 

“Why did I hold a grudge?  There was no value in it.”

 “All my life I’ve been too quick to judge.”

                                             And what did I hear most of all?

“I wish I had said I love you more often.”  

Could it be the “why are we here” question is quite simple?  Maybe we are here to experiment, try new things, have new experiences, to take a risk, and to make mistakes.   It’s possible we are all just in prep school with the ultimate goal being to be better today than we were yesterday.

As the NEW YEAR peaks over the horizon I’m going to challenge myself to take the advice of these “older and wiser” folks.   I hope that you do too and if you have a senior in your life I hope you can carve out more valuable time to share with them in the coming year and pay close attention to their wise counsel.  I think you’ll find that they know “the secret.” 

 Life is precious, don’t waste a moment of it and we are here simply to love and be loved.

Happy New Year!  

Cyndi