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
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