What a Surreal Week

Wednesday night we celebrated the 78th birthday of one of our dear friends. He's in pretty darned great health overall, he's loving life, and, boy, did we celebrate! Tomorrow afternoon we'll attend a celebration of a much different sort. Another friend recently and unexpectedly passed WAY too soon. He also was enjoying a wonderful retirement here when out of nowhere a sudden health issue took him away from us. In reflecting on these two lives I ask myself, "What is the lesson?" Can it be any more clear that we must celebrate every day, every moment of every day? The future is promised to no one. How easy it is to fall into the trap of thinking, "If I can just get past this?" "If I hang in there blah-blah-blah----." If-if-if. You can do all the right things--eat healthy, exercise, meditate, think positive thoughts. Maybe like our first friend you'll beat the actuarial tables. Or maybe in spite of all that proactivity your DNA will flip a switch and---everything changes. These two events, these celebrations, reinforce for me an intention to live life to the fullest NOW. Why postpone my joy? Why define my life with "maybe?" Or "some day?" If our second friend could still speak I'm certain he would agree.