Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Carpe Diem!

Every so often I read something that really resonates and inspires me to find change and improvement to my life. One of those instances came to me last night while reading a Newsweek interview with Elizabeth Edwards, "I'm Not Praying for God to Save Me" (April 9, 2007). She stated,

"There is going to be a day before each of us die, and you have to think about how you want that day filled. I want that to be a productive day about which I am enormously proud, as opposed to a day where I had the covers pulled up over my head."
I've always had the attitude of living each day to the fullest although I can't say I've always put it into practice. Whenever I've felt down, I've always said that I have, presumably, about 80 years on this Earth and it is up to me to make it the best possible 80 years I can have. Of course, and especially as I get older, I come to realize that the 80 years is no guarantee. Perfectly healthy people find themselves with incurable diseases, and then there are genetics and freak accidents. And in some cases, I’m sure, it takes the realization of one’s own mortality to kick life into high gear. But why wait until then? You don't get time back. (When people say "life is not a dress rehearsal," it is true.)

Something about Elizabeth Edwards’ words struck a chord with me. It is more concrete and definitive than the 80 years logic I’ve been using. She’s inspired me to start volunteering again, to take time for myself and carve out quality time with my family (new hubby included!). They’ve inspired me to stay active and community oriented and to keep a positive attitude. I want my last day to be productive too, and I want to be happy with what I’ve accomplished and I’m going to start working on that goal today.

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