Wouldn’t we all like to live a quality life of great length filled
with joy and memories to share, lived with purpose until close to the end? I've witnessed both sets of my grandparents
live well into their 90's (and one set is still counting.) I am proud to
provide a branch on their trees of loved ones. I have enjoyed hearing
stories from their years gone by and learning about the marks that they left on
history. A lifetime of memories is one of life's greatest treasures and
advice from their experiences is a blessing to have shared.
I've also witnessed lives that were
cut far too short. My brother, Adam, and my cousin, Rik both died before even
reaching 40 and my father died at the age of 48. I wish, almost daily,
that they were still here today, but they each left their marks in their own ways.
I give thanks to have shared in their years. I remember clearly what my
dad said the day he found out he had cancer, he claimed "I lived a full
life - I just did it too fast!" We've also heard it stated "It's
not the years in your life, it's the life in your years." The
saying, in its truth, provides comfort in times of grief and gives incentive to
many to reach for their goals.
Goals. Everyone needs
goals - something to strive for, to be better at, to bring purpose to our
lives. As children we have big dreams of
being astronauts and firemen, teachers or mommies when we grow up. As young adults, the opportunities are
endless. But where do we start? Suddenly, “when I grow up” becomes next year
or real soon and kids are thrust into their futures trying to find their way
into adulthood. It can be overwhelming
and even scary at first. But it is
important to remember that “Rome wasn’t built in a day” and likewise our lives
are made up of a continuous journey of goals both big and small.
I am currently in the midst of midlife myself as I am half
way through my forties. With our children
quickly entering their own adulthoods, life as my husband and I have known it
for years is about to fade out and the rest of our lives is not quite yet in
focus. At midlife, we may start to question our own existence. What
have we done with our lives? What is our legacy? Are we doing enough? What now?
As our years grow in length,
wrinkles begin to mark the passage of time, creating a work of art sketched by
years of laughter and worry. In the end, we all have a story to share - a
lifetime of joy, some moments of pain, memories to cherish and a few we may
rather forget. Each story is uniquely our own. Some have grown trees filled with family to span
generations to come, some have built resumes of achievements and
credentials, and some have filled bucket lists with goals they've
accomplished through time. Some have
grown crops to feed a family, taught the minds of those eager to learn, or saved lives as a doctor or nurse. Any life lived with passion, wherever it may
lead, is one to look back on with pride.
