Waiting On Another Day
I took a hike this weekend up at the Catoctin Mountains outside of Frederick, Md. These mountains are part of the Blue Ridge Mountain range, and have lots of history including many prominent Civil War battles such as Gettysburg and Antietam. It is also the home of the Camp David retreat; the weekend getaway for the president. After making the arduous 1.5 mile climb up to 'Bob's Overlook', I was rewarded with majestic views of the valley below in all it's Fall splendor. I spent a good deal of time on the big rocks enjoying the panoramic view of the valley, and thinking that the only thing that could make the scene more picturesque would be the sight of an eagle soaring in the bright blue sky.
Reclining on one of the big stone boulders, I got to thinking of how much I enjoyed getting out in the woods by myself. Some people find 'God' in church, I find God everywhere in nature. As I sat there pondering all kinds of deep thoughts, it suddenly occurred to me that a day will come when I will no longer be able to enjoy views such as this. This fact was brought home to me recently with the death of both my uncle and his son three weeks apart. While the death of my uncle was expected; being that he was 85 and suffering from liver cancer, the death of his son was sudden and totally unexpected. It was just a few weeks ago that I recall standing up at my uncle's casket reminiscing with 'Don' about his father. While sharing memories of his father, Don mentioned of how he looked forward to retirement next Spring so that he can finally start doing all the things he's been wanting to do. He said with a slight grin, "it will be nice to actually have a life again". Sadly, it's a life he'll never get the chance to know.
Unfortunately, I have known too many people who were 'waiting to live'. People who convince themselves that at some magical time in the future when everything is just right, they will finally be able to enjoy life and really start living. I have a friend who hasn't taken a vacation in about 15 years. He tells me quite often that when's 65, he's done. But one never knows when 'done' will be forever. I was introduced to this reality as a youth when my father passed away unexpectedly from a heart attack. Although I didn't know it at the time, his death impacted me profoundly in many ways, and was a major factor in my outlook towards life as I matured into adulthood. It has also been an impetus behind how I make decisions as well.
For instance, last year I decided that I wanted to take some time off and travel across country, something that I hadn't done in many years. I wanted to take my time doing this, and didn't want to be pigeonholed into trying to do it in the two or three weeks allotted to me by the company. Meeting resistance from the company regarding my plans, I had to make the decision to either cancel my trip or resign from a job that I enjoyed very much. Realizing that if I didn't do it then, I might never have the chance again, I quit my job and followed my desires.
While I wouldn't recommend being completely reckless in your actions, there is something to be said for living in the present. Are there things in your life that you have been wanting to do but waiting until the time is right? Understand that there will never be the 'perfect' time to do anything. Someone once asked a famous actor in an interview late in his life if he had any regrets?. The actor responded slowly, "I have no regrets about the things I have done in my life, but plenty about the things I didn't".
It is unfortunate that we oftentimes need the death of someone close to us to make us aware of how precarious life is. Although in the long run we are all terminal, we tend to forget this unwelcomed reality until it is forced upon us be circumstances. As Don Henley stated in his song, 'The Last Worthless Evening', "there are just so many Summers baby, just so many Springs". Are you waiting on another day?
About the Author: Bill Thomas is actively engaged in Network Marketing. He also contributes articles on business, life and othe topics. His current website is..Create Income from Home With Your Own... Incredible Home Business
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