Appreciate The Gift
"I want to live like a kid with holes in his boots. I want to climb like a child in a tree. I want to love like the man with nothing to lose. I want to die with my heart on my sleeve." - Peter Bradley Adams, Full Moon Song
Hello Dear Friend,
Unlike most of America’s kids out there, having sugared cereals in the pantry was rare at my house. Usually the most sugary cereal my brother and I would get was Honey-Nut Cheerios and that was only if we mixed them with the regular kind. Oh but hey, we did get to have the cereal that made all kinds of noise…
Have you ever thought about what you want in life? It doesn’t have to be some crazy grand dream although those can be good. Nope, it could be quite simple. So simple in fact, that your list of happy thoughts is getting lost in the mix of all the bills needing to be paid, receipts to things that need to be returned and that rundown "To-do" list that you’ve got tacked up on your fridge.
"You have exactly one life in which to do everything you will ever do. Act accordingly." - Colin Wright
Just like my bowl filled with rice crispy cereal I want my life to snap, crackle, and pop. No seriously, I want the blissful life. The kind that keeps me busy laughing even when I’m crying so that in the end there’s a heck of a lot more to my story than just the must do’s. I want the well lived collage of moments that when looked back on and revisited I can half whisper “I can’t believe I did that!”, as I retell the stories that now cause giant smiles to creep across my face and fits of laughter to escape my lips.
I want early morning wake-up calls with the dawn while sipping on an exceptional cup of coffee as I take in the beauty of the morning – just thankful to be alive. There’s a part of me that still wants to make wishes at 11:11 or on dandelion dust and stay out greeting the moon while catching fireflies like I did as a child. There's the kid in me that wants to stay up all night searching the darkest and blackest part of the night for Northern Lights and watching the sky for shooting stars while lying up on a hill in a bed of wild flowers.
I want God to take my breath away to be both wowed and moved by His beauty and grace as He shows me His masterpieces in this world. I want dignity to embrace both the wild and the calm and the wisdom to learn from every lesson He’s teaching me.
I want a life that isn’t distracted from the illusions of Hollywood. I want to hike to the top of the mountains, swim in freshwater lakes, smell the rain just before it hits the ground and drop down to make angels in the snow. I want to eat blueberries straight off the bushes, pick out a pumpkin to carve from the patch and select the perfect Christmas tree in a forest of evergreen. I want to take off driving the back country roads with the windows down as far as they'll go and the radio cranked up set to classic rock as my hair dances wildly in the breeze all the while feeling the sunshine warming me and nourishing my skin with Vitamin D.
I want to sit around the fire-pit roasting hot-dogs and building s’mores, celebrate birthdays eating my favorite ice cream, and welcome cold winter days wrapped up cocooned in a blanket, drinking hot chocolate and watching movies. I want to fill my lungs with the sweet smell of honeysuckle that’s been carried off by the warm, gentle, spring winds and listen to the neighborhood children playing in the distance as I take in the summer night air. I want the fallen leaves to crunch beneath my feet as I explore nature and let the scents of cinnamon, vanilla, and clove bring me straight back to cherished holiday memories.
I want to laugh with good friends, curl up on the couch surrounded by my family for a movie night, and always find myself in the presence of good company. I want to dream dreams that really do come true. I want to make art that matters, inspire others, and write words that make a difference to the one reading them. I want to travel and listen to the stories told by the strangers I meet along the way to grand adventures.
No matter how many tears I cried to get through the hard days I want to take all the roads that lead me to the beautiful life I crave. I want the kind of life that’s so beautiful and treasured that every day gives credit to my Creator. I want the kind of life that has God laughing good and hard from deep within at/with His child so glad that He gave life to someone who appreciates and loves the gift.
With love,
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