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Acknowledging *this* moment

Tomorrow I head to Wales to celebrate the life of a 26-year old friend who died doing what he loved – cycling.

When I first heard of his death, half asleep late at night on my last day on holiday in Oregon, the first thing that came to me was one of my favourite quotes from one of Alan Watts’ talks.

Better to have a short life that is full of what you like doing, than a long life spent in a miserable way

But you know what, in that instant I didn’t feel it.

No one should be taken away so young. Someone who is so loved by their family and friends. Someone who was just so friendly and welcoming. Someone who was living their life in a way that was true to them. Someone who seemed to greet each day with a smile.

But as the days have passed and I have spoken to his family, although the grief is still so raw and present, they too are able to acknowledge that he was taken doing what he loved.

Life is so precious and you never know when it will be your time to say goodbye to this earth.

For me it is again a timely reminder to make the most of *this* moment.

This one right here, right now.

To do the things that bring me joy.
To spend time with the people I love.
To fully appreciate and acknowledge what is happening around me.

So I am celebrating my life today.
I’m not going out and ticking items off my bucket list, but I am acknowledging and appreciating the everyday ordinariness that I treasure.
Reading my book. Going for a run. Cuddling with my partner. Drinking cups of tea. Appreciating a lazy Sunday.

Life is short. Whether you live to 10, 26, 58 or 101.
It definitely is too short to spend your time on things you dislike and don’t care about.

I’m still not convinced on my previous go to quote that it is better to live a short-life doing something you love. That is pretty hard to stomach on a day when I am having to get ready to say goodbye to someone. But I hope that all of us are able to appreciate the life we are living, and take steps each day to live it doing what we love, whatever the length of time we have here on earth is.

1 thought on “Acknowledging *this* moment”

  1. Thank you for sharing your thoughts at such a difficult time. They way we live our life day to day should be carried with the sentiments that you talk of, but it is okay to feel the pain of saying goodbye, that’s when you know that you have loved.

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