Perspective

9/23/09

  I am, once again, sitting on my deck having my breakfast and tea, and I notice this fly  perched on the banister. It appears to be doing the same thing I am, (minus the breakfast of course, but who knows, maybe there’s some little fly tea I know nothing about) taking in this beautiful morning, basking in the remaining days of morning sunlight. Perhaps my little friend is even marveling at the beauty of this fine beginning of the day.

   As I look at my morning companion, I wonder what does this fly think about, if it only lives for a week or so (I have no idea how long a fly lives)? Does it think at all, or does it simply go about it’s day executing what is in it’s DNA? Does it question anything? Probably not. But then, I got to thinking about what my life would be like if I only lived for a week. What worries would I simply not pay any attention to anymore? Who, out of all the people I know, would I most want to spend time with? What would I focus on doing? Would I want to make more money? Do more martial arts? Meditate more?

  The first thing that pops into my head is that I would definitely do more martial arts, and meditate more. In fact, I don’t know that I would even do anything else. And as for the people I would spend time with, definitely my Grandparents and mother, but, I would think about who had faith in me all along. Who are those who saw through all of my issues I had to contend with as a child and young adult, and LOVED ME ANYWAY ? Who are those that saw the core of who I am, and who I could, and would  become? And to those people, I would say thank you. Making more money certainly doesn’t even make the top 5.

  I would sell everything and buy an RV and live out of it. For my week of life. I would make sure that no gratitude, apologies, or love went unsaid. I would sit in nature and take her in, in every possible way, and be reborn in every  minute of it. 

  It’s interesting to think about this from the perspective of living, rather thank dying. I think many of us have thought about what we would do if we only had one week to live. And I think this is a very valuable thing to check in with once in a while. I also think when I contemplate my life from this place, there is a heaviness to the things I choose, and sometimes even a sense of urgency or panic that constricts and controls the choices I make when looking at my life through that lens. Looking at my life from the perspective of having a lifespan of only one week sets me free from any obligations or burdens I may have in the life I’m living right now.

  So my friend, what would YOU do if your lifespan was one week? What would change? What would you stop worrying about? Who would you express love to? Who would you drop like a hot potato? Where would you take yourself? What would you choose to listen to? What voice in your head? What music, what sounds in nature, what part of your body? What are you thirsty for??? Now is the time my friend. It is always, the time.