Saturday, August 22, 2009

Embracing Life

Celebrate Life As It Happens

While celebrations are intended to honor life’s more momentous occasions, much of real life tends to happen during the in-between times.

While moving from one moment in time to the next is seldom considered a significant occurrence, it is during those in-between times that we are most in tune with life’s most profound, albeit simple, joys. Between birth and death, triumph and sorrow, beginnings and endings, we enjoy innumerable experiences that often happen unnoticed.

These times are just as worthy of celebration.

The in-between times are seldom about landmark moments. How we choose to celebrate them or which moments we choose to celebrate is up to us.

We may want to celebrate the simple facts that we are alive and that every day is a chance to spend time with the people we care about or do the work that we love. Then again, when we look at the good that exists in our lives, many reasons for celebrating the in-between times may become clear:

*our favorite beverage,

*a beautiful sunrise or sunset,

*a good book read out of doors with the smell of fresh air and the warmth of the sun,

*memories of times shared with one we love.

Each of these is reason for celebration.

Celebrating the in-between times can be as easy as paying special attention to them when they do happen, rather than taking them for granted.

It is such focus of attention that can turn an in-between time into a celebration.

Every day is a holiday, every meal a banquet, every paycheck a fortune, and every every night a honeymoon.

Is there really any better way to embrace life other than these simple and beautifully optimistic approaches?

We can celebrate our days by slowing down and allowing ourselves time to look around and allow our hearts and minds to take in all of life’s wonders. Far too often, we can let those simple moments of awe pass us by.

These in-between times are when life happens to us between the pauses that we take to honor our milestone occasions. Without the in-between times, there would be no big moments to celebrate.

Those of you who know me well know that I celebrate "Half Birthdays".

Half Birthdays occur six months after our birthday - or six months before ... whichever comes first.

One must love having an "Alice In Wonderland" moment every now and again!

The beauty of a Half Birthday is not only that we acknowledge and celebrate our life without adding a digit to our age, but the beauty lies in the warmth that we feel as we simply celebrate life.

So, celebrate life and celebrate it when others least expect it.

Tell someone how much you love them. Dance in the rain. Sing out of tune. Follow a sunset until it rises again.

Love life, live life and celebrate life as if tomorrow never mattered.

With love & light,

Rob