...you've got to make the moment last, just kickin' down the cobble stone, lookin' for fun and feelin' groovy! So I came to realize that I'm rushing through life lately and I don't really know why. I'm always in a hurry, trying to do things really fast to meet unnecessary deadlines I make for myself, and along the way I'm missing out on, well, life.
Today I took my residents to St. Michael's for Mass followed by lunch and I was sitting in the pew behind my residents, thumbing through my "crack"berry looking at emails that were sent and deciding who I wanted to reply to, all while sitting there waiting for the Mass to be over and certainly ready for the scripture to end. Well, something caught me when most of the church (except me, sad to say) stood up for the reading of the Gospel... "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves."-- 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. The priest then went on to talk about marriage and how this verse is often read at marriages for the simple fact that it discusses love. He also went on to say that unfortunately many marriages are falling apart because of one or both becoming selfish, overwhelmingly selfish that they no longer put their spouse before them self.
Why is this important and what does it have to do with rushing through life? Well, first of all, I was so busy checking email that I almost missed the message today, a message that is extremely important considering that tomorrow Greg and I celebrate our 4th wedding anniversary. It was a great reminder of why we are together and what we must remind ourselves daily to keep our marriage as strong as it is and strengthen that bond even more as we grow old together.
Secondly... I felt a swift slap across the face when I realized that I'm so busy planning the future, I'm missing the present. Not just in work, but in everything. It's time to stop and smell the roses. Instead of hurrying on my way, it's time to stop and listen to someone's response when I ask how they are. The reality is that each day is a precious gift and it's not to be taken for granted. God willing, I will have a long life ahead of me, and working with the elderly I have to realize that time is not on their side. When I don't have time to hold the door open (for 5 minutes cause it takes some of my residents that long to walk 2 feet), or sit and listen to my their stories, or give myself some quiet time for reflection or relaxation I'm really cheating myself. The excuse of "I don't have time" really is just that... an excuse.
So what does this have to do with Operation Longevity? You ask. Well, a lot goes back to the reason I started this in the first place... Aunt Karen. Her life was tragically cut short. I don't really have any regrets in life and I'll be damn if it's my time to go and I'm lying in bed, looking back on my life and missing all those important, and not so important, opportunities just so that I could hurry up and miss something else. It's hard to imagine being influential on someone cause I look at myself and well... I'm just plain ol' Liz... but I suppose I really have touched people with this blog and I know you all are out there routing for me (even if you're not posting comments, ehhhh hemmmm, wink wink), and if I can inspire someone or touch someone through my blogging... well, I have got to have the time for that.
