Tim McGraw’s song “Live Like You Were Dying” spurs a man into full-on living because of a diagnosis that would kill him. If you don’t know the song its message is similar to this one. I answer the question “How’s it going?” with the title of this piece. “Life’s too short to not be good.” In some situations, this response cannot touch. I have a friend whose daughter just lost her baby girl when she was just a couple weeks old. Grief this deep is beyond the description words can give. Along time from now this young woman will smile again with joy and a wisdom deep pain gives.
For most of us, if we want to, we can live our life as full-on as possible. I don’t mean busy doing stuff. I mean fully alive with life full of what brings a smile. There may be big things bringing the smile or the hundreds of little things every day. Spontaneous opera in Florence, Italy was a highlight of my trip. Today it is raining softly watering my dry land and I am grateful.
As I write this I’m still in bed and I’m reminded of why I’m glad it’s a king-sized bed. My 60-pound brown poodle is on one side and my six-pound black cat is on the other. I feel a bit pinned down and they make me smile. Pasha (the cat) will pounce on my toes if I move and Rigely (the dog) thinks she needs to protect me and chases her off. They are my brown and black girls. Simple, yes and I smile at them.
What make you feel alive? God do it even if you’re afraid. Fear doesn’t have to govern what we say “yes” or “no” to. In the areas of a human life – personal, family, spiritual, work, community, play – I hope yours fits you and becomes as fully alive as it can be. We don’t have to wait for life to grab our attention. Do it NOW!
“Someday I hope you get the chance to live like you were dying.”
Tim McGraw and Tim Nicholas