A few years ago I lost most of the sight in my right eye. While most of the sight has now returned, because of that chapter in my life, my outlook on life has dramatically changed. I now take the time to stop and look at the roses.
I realized that the things I take for granted today might be gone tomorrow. Mrs. Planet Kirby and I have always made a point of kissing one another good-bye when I leave for my work as a superhero each day. But now, I take an extra moment to look at her cute little face before I plant my most excellent smooch on her lips. I never want her to have an ounce of doubt about how much I love her.
I take the time to appreciate the little things in life. Like the way my cereal snaps, crackles and pops. The way my grandson thinks everything is funny. The way my wife's eyes dance when she laughs. How my son looks at his girl friend in much the same way I looked at Donna when we were dating. How my dog, Lucy, thinks I am the greatest man alive every day when I come home. I think you get my drift. The list could go on forever.
So often, I used to let people bug me. Maybe a better way of saying that is to say that I used to let others rob me of my joy. But no more. It's time to take a break from the world and start looking at the roses. I can't be responsible for others. I don't know where they are in their life's journey. And, where they are now is not where they are going to end up. You know, all of us do things that bug somebody else. Heck, I do things that bug me. The key to stopping and looking at the roses is to not let others bug us to the point that we lose our joy; but rather to remember that just like you and me, they are a work in progress too.
We went to a family gathering this past weekend. As fate would have it, one of the people at our table made it his quest for the day to get in every dig about my weight that he possibly could. Those of you who know me will know that I can joke about how fat I am but nobody else can. I do not take fat jokes very well. After the third or fourth crack about my belt size being Equator, I envisioned me taking him outside and beating him to death with a 9 iron or at the very least asking the caterer for a set of tongs, so that, I could rip his tongue from his mouth. But instead, I decided to just love him. This day he was not going to rob me of my joy.
Today I learned that a classmate from high school had passed away. It was another solemn reminder that life is short. Too short. If we don't take the time to stop and look at the roses, we will lose out on so many of the little blessings in life. Things that go unnoticed most of the time because we are so busy "living" life. I have learned that it is the little things in life that bring us the most joy.
Be Well.
Bill
