(Photo by Bria, courtesy of Robin @ Celebrating Motherhood)
“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” (John Lennon)
Is it possible, in this noisiest-of-ever-century, that we hardly ever hear, hardly ever see anything much?
Have you ever noticed your world when the power goes off? It’s not just that you can’t check you email…it’s a deafening silence that might drive some crazy if it lasted long enough. All the hums and quiet roars are dead, and we are left with much less–or is it more?
I think if we don’t live on purpose, we won’t live at all. If we don’t see through the daily whir, and hear through the daily buzz, we might just miss the life we were intended to live.
If you’ve lived very long, you know that life isn’t that long. Can we say as someone did,
“I don’t want to get to the end of my life and find that I have just lived the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well.”
It’s not hard, really. It’s not “sky-diving and Rocky-mountain climbing”…
It’s another warm hug today.
It’s stopping, looking up, smiling, listening, being in the moment fully.
It’s choosing to cast a gentle glance in the direction of one you love, rather than a day-worn scowl.
A walk outside, closing your eyes, and raising your face to the warmth of an autumn sky.
Saying out loud to your children…”Isn’t this world glorious–the one our Lord created?”
Curling up to read Dr. Seuss again, ending with a tickle.
Noticing the forlorn look in your daughter’s eye and being willing to stop your day to draw it out.
Speaking words of life into someone’s heart, taking time to really hear what they are saying, instead of what you are going to say when they’re done.
All these smallish things, woven together over a lifetime…that makes a life well-lived.
Live deliberately if at all.
(Need practical help and encouragement as a mom? When Motherhood Feels Too Hard–the book that will change the way you parent.)
7 comments
I’ve only just recently found your blog but wanted to say how encouraging your post have been to me. Thanks!
One of my favorite memories is taking a walk with my children (and the dog – because we didn’t have a fenced in yard) during a rain shower. We wore the appropriate clothing, and stepped in absolutely EVERY puddle we could find. We were soaked and satisfied upon arriving at home. (Homeschool rocks!)
If my children never learn calculus, will they still be okay if they’ve learned how to live the length and breadth of life?
“a day worn scowl”…
Ouch. I am diligently working on this one. My word for this year is Grace, which I need to generously bestow on all those in my care. And I begin with those looks of love and gentleness. Scowl: Be Gone!!
Very true and very beautiful.
Really needed this today. Thanks. Getting off the computer now…
Really lovely. “Live deliberately if at all.” My new favorite quote, outside of the Bible…
Amen!