How The World Has Changed

Live now...
Cause you just don't know.

​Do you remember everything we had at our fingertips just a few months ago?

It feels like years ago. I could get in my car and drive somewhere--anywhere, travel, go visit friends or family, go out to dinner, go to a beach, a park, or a mall.

I could enjoy a concert, sporting event, or festival.

I could give someone a hug, shake someone's hand, or take a sample sip of my friends kombucha.

Anyone could do just about any one of those things, until suddenly we couldn't anymore.

That happens more than we think in life....
You just don't know.

Many employees don't always know it's their last day of work.

Mommas don't always know it's their last diaper change.

Students don't always know it's their last lunch of the year.

Some significant others don't always know it's the last day of their relationship.

Many people didn't know their last hug would be their last.
Many people didn't know their last kiss would be their last.
Many people didn't know their last call would be their last.

Many of them say that if they did know, they would do it differently.

Most of them say they would at least appreciate it more.

But instead, we zip through life, roll our eyes, or huff and puff about the monotonous motions of life.

We get annoyed and frustrated with the tedious day to day things.

We act too busy and distracted to even think it could be the last time.

Right now, there are millions of employees that would take on double the work to get back to work.

There are millions of Mommas who would gladly change another another diaper to have their baby back.

There are millions of students who would do all the homework in the world to hang with their friends, teachers, and coaches again.

There are millions of significant others who would love to have their love back.

You know that song 'Big Yellow Taxi', right?
Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you got till it's gone??

Well, my friends, many things are gone.

A lot of things disappeared in the last few months and a lot of us weren't prepared for it.

Add to it that millions of us expect things to go back to 'normal' when this is 'over'.

But there is no real over.
There is no going back.

It's like taking a bite of an apple; you can spit it out and mush it back, but you'll never have that same whole apple again.

So while you hold your breath waiting for something that isn't coming, think about the examples of the momma's.
Think about the students and employees and significant others.

And while you try to zoom through these challenging times, roll your eyes, or huff and puff about the monotonous motions of this crisis; I invite you to slow down.

When you get annoyed and frustrated with the tedious things about being at home or going to your essential job; I invite you to breathe.

When you get uptight or offended about people protesting injustices; attempt to put yourself in their shoes.

When you act too busy and distracted, remember that it could be the last time.

It could be your last chance to slow down.
It could be your last time to breathe.
It could be your last smile, call, text, hug, kiss, hello, or goodbye.

So get your eyes up, ears on, and hearts open to the millions of blessings in your life at this exact moment, and live deliberately knowing that any of them can be gone in the next.

The good, the bad, and the indifferent all come and go, so appreciate what you've got while you got it.

Remember, you once prayed for the things you currently have, like wishing you could get out of that job, or wishing for more time with your babies, or more time to spend on your side gig.

Someone cries themselves to sleep wishing they had what you have.

Hug your babes.
Love your people.
Love your job.
Love your significant ones.
Love yourself!
​
Live a life you love.