Before It Passes, Live The Moment

He was feeling pretty good about everything. There was nothing too major disrupting his life, everything was going along very smoothly. The fact was he was feeling pretty content and a little bored. Then in a moment without any warning everything that was going smoothly hit a bump in the road. It all happened in a flash. 

He was walking across the street and a car came around the corner and hit him, not hard but hard enough to knock him to the street. The car came to a stop and a young man stepped out and offered his hand to help him to his feet asking if there was anything he could do to help. He responded rather brusquely, "Get away from me . You've done enough already!". The young man asked again if he could do anything to help. He didn't answer this time and although this all was happening in only a few minutes it seemed as if time was standing still, not moving. Thoughts were flashing through his mind. He wondered if he was hurt, hurt badly or just bruised. He actually visualized his life changing in a flash of a moment, maybe even ending. What was seemingly a contented but boring existence now seemed precious. He saw his life flashing before him, his children, grandchildren, his love all such wonderful things, persons, all vanishing. He saw that quick as a flash everything that was important was vanishing and he really never appreciated the moments shared, the love given and taken, everything was taken for granted.

The young man shook him out of his revere by reaching down and touching him again on his hand and repeating his question about how he was feeling and if he could help him. He looked up at him and saw a guy who could have been one of his sons. He thought I could call for an ambulance, sue the poor bastard, and change his life perhaps forever and he too would feel the impact of life changing in a flashing moment. But his thoughts also imagined his family, now or in the future would be impacted. 

He shook the cobwebs from his head and even though it might be considered foolhardy he decided that he was not going to let this incident impact him negatively nor would he allow it to impact this young guy negatively either. So he gruffly told the guy to back off as he rose to his feet. He moved his arms and legs, a bit sore he thought but not bad. The young guy wanted to give him his number and such but he told him to be more careful in the future and to go on his way. 

As he continued on the way to the store for the Daily News he thought life was indeed very fragile and it could change so quickly that there is no time to change anything, to prepare. So he made the promise to himself that he would not forget this moment and he would try and live every moment as if it was his last. He would try to drink in the wonder of life, the colors all around and the wonderful gifts that were all about. 

He didn't know, couldn't know how long he would have before it would be all over, no one does, but he would keep the thought in his head that he would enjoy his children, grandchildren and his life to the fullest.

He would try very hard to drink in the wonders all about him. And most of all he would do the utmost to increase the fullness of his present loving relationship. For what is life but a brief passing moment in this cosmos and the time we have should be enjoyed in all it's loving fullness.  

  

The Wonder of Being Alive

A great talent and from what I've read and heard a beautiful human being chose to end his life. His mental illness gave him no other option but to call it quits while he still had so much to give which included love to his daughter, wife and friends as well as a talent that brought laughs, tears and relief of the world's burdens to many of us. His demise has brought many to contemplate how many feel when depression overtakes them. So we as a society have been dwelling on the ills that drive us into despair leading to death of body and spirit. But I would like to take this moment to dwell on what makes living in this crazy world so worthwhile.

We walk to and fro destinations and never look around, never noticing the wonder of nature and the magic of life all around us. The trees seem so majestic and alive as the branches sway to the gentle wind kind of like waving to us saying "Here we are. Stop and take notice." admire the beauty of such inanimate objects like leaves, flowers of many colors and branches reaching up to the heavens as if to praise the creator whoever he or she might be. The birds are all about us flying or just perching on branches or wires atop of poles looking down on us. Squirrels are darting out from under cars racing to get to the other side of the street. Sounds of dogs barking and cats trying to get home after a night out on the town. Life in all it's colors are all about us and we hardly stop to notice and drink it's beauty all in.

We never even take notice of the wonder of our bodies. We are only electro-chemical beings. Our skins are solidified chemicals. Our thoughts are electro-chemical charges which cruise through our body through nerve networks with our brain sending all sorts of impulses throughout our framework using spine and spirit. We cry when we are sad. What is that about? We laugh. What a wonder that is. Laughter can lower blood pressure, release hormones that lift the spirit and keep our general well being in good shape. What the hell is that all about? The sense of touch is wonderful yet if pushed too hard that sense can bring pain. The taste of food can be a wonderful experience yet sometimes too hot and disagreeable. Yet our senses are taken for granted until they become lessened or lost. Maybe this should be the impetus of trying to remain healthy so we can continue to experience all the good things we take for granted.

One of the most gratifying experiences we can have is the experience of love. The old song says "You're nobody until somebody loves you.". For most of us we start out by being loved by Mom, Pop, then family and friends. The ultimate is being in a real loving intimate relationship with a person with whom you must share your life with or there is a hole in the life you've chosen. All those senses I've mentioned come into play, the touch of hands, the meeting of lips, entwining of bodies, the meeting of one's very soul. Far too mysterious to me to try to define.

So let us be affected by those who can't for whatever reason enjoy all the joys life has to offer, affected in a way to make their lives better if we can, at the least to support them in their need. But let us never lose the fact that there is much joy, wonder, colors galore that dazzle right here for all of us to enjoy and enjoy it we must or all the good is wasted. So live, love laugh and be happy!

    

Life, Love and Infatuation

He was a little too old for this sort of thing. He met a lady and they seemed to hit it off just right. The more they saw each other the more he thought about her. But she just didn't believe his words, not that she thought he was not telling the truth but that he was acting like a teenager who was suffering from infatuation not love.

Try as he would she just didn't believe him. She was a realist and really had no time for romance which was for kids not the mature who would put the rush of infatuation behind them as they attended to the problem's that adults have which included attending to love on a more mature level.

He came to the conclusion that the only way to convince her of his true feelings was to use the lyrics of a great Nat King Cole hit called "Paper Moon". His main argument was why should only the young have the thrill of a kiss, the feel of a soft body, the dizziness of being with someone you love? These lyrics fit all ages and maybe age is only a number and who the hell believes in numerology anyway? So he sent these lyrics and hoped she would take the time to let the feelings of the written word come through.

 It is only a paper moon

Hanging over a cardboard sea
But it wouldn't be make believe
If you believe in me

It is only a canvas sky
Sailing over a muslin tree
But it wouldn't be make believe
If you believe in me

Without your love
It's a honky-tonk parade
Without your love
It's a melody played on a penny arcade

It's a Barnum and Bailey world
Just as phony as it can be
But it wouldn't be make believe
If you believe in me

Without your love
It's a honky-tonk parade
Without your love
It's a melody played on a penny arcade

It's a Barnum and Bailey world
Just as phony as it can be
But it wouldn't be make believe
If you believe in me

Of course the ending to this fable is a happy one as she finally believed him as he expressed his feelings and of course she returned them Unrequited love is terrible but love shared is bliss.