I was going to post about kickball and Boston, but you get this instead....
Believe it or not, the past couple weeks have come with a decent amount of self reflection - sparked by travel, strategic planning at work, frustration with volunteering and supporting a friend through an unexpected death. One of the outcomes of this reflection time was discovering and falling in love with One Republic's song "I Lived." The first time I listened to it the lyrics spoke to me. And at the risk of sounding corny, when I listen to it, it's like I can picture in my head a video montage of my life playing.
There is something utterly inspiring about the lyrics. One of my favorite lines is "Hope that you spend your days. But they all add up." Don't get me wrong, I love all the lyrics in this song, but as my friend Conrad pointed out there is just something about that phrase that rings true. I do hope that my days all add up. It's why I still write cards and letters. Why I sometimes stretch myself too thin volunteering. Why I choose to love with my whole heart even if it gets broken. And even why I got suckered into sponsoring two children overseas.
We are given but one life and we must make the most of it. You have to live and live fully. Those are some of the lessons I've learned, and a little bit of wisdom I choose to impart. I've also come to live by the phrase: 'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. As cliche as that statement can be, it is a way that I choose to live my life, and it comes from a life lesson I learned at the tender age of thirteen.
See, the other week I posted this picture on Facebook as part of the Throw Back Thursday trend. And for those who don't know me as well as my closest friends, I gave a little glimpse into my life. The picture was taken the day I was adopted by my grandparents. I was seven. It was the first time I interacted with the justice system, met a judge and sat in his chair. Maybe that sparked my interest in criminology, who knows.
P.S. If you watch the music video to "I Lived" the song takes on a whole new meaning - warning it is a tearjerker (or maybe I am just a sap - you'll have to decide that for yourself).
There is something utterly inspiring about the lyrics. One of my favorite lines is "Hope that you spend your days. But they all add up." Don't get me wrong, I love all the lyrics in this song, but as my friend Conrad pointed out there is just something about that phrase that rings true. I do hope that my days all add up. It's why I still write cards and letters. Why I sometimes stretch myself too thin volunteering. Why I choose to love with my whole heart even if it gets broken. And even why I got suckered into sponsoring two children overseas.
We are given but one life and we must make the most of it. You have to live and live fully. Those are some of the lessons I've learned, and a little bit of wisdom I choose to impart. I've also come to live by the phrase: 'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. As cliche as that statement can be, it is a way that I choose to live my life, and it comes from a life lesson I learned at the tender age of thirteen.
See, the other week I posted this picture on Facebook as part of the Throw Back Thursday trend. And for those who don't know me as well as my closest friends, I gave a little glimpse into my life. The picture was taken the day I was adopted by my grandparents. I was seven. It was the first time I interacted with the justice system, met a judge and sat in his chair. Maybe that sparked my interest in criminology, who knows.
But, what I do remember from that day is being happy. I didn't know what it all meant, other than it solidified the only family I had ever known - me, my grandmother and grandfather. Looking at that picture, it honestly feels like a lifetime ago. So much has happened, and so much has changed in my life. Aside from a small part of my family, there is no one connected to my present who knew that Paul. He was young and sweet and quiet. He spent nearly all his time with his grandmother, from going to work with her to watching her cook and bake in the kitchen. We had the bond of a mother and child. I had come into my grandmother's life at a time when she had love to share, and she came into mine when I needed that love. It was a match that seemed to work.
And while that bond gave me love and safety as a child, it also provided me with my first experience of loss and heartache. I talked a little about loss in my post A little follow-up to Raised by Women. See, my grandmother unexpectedly lost her battle with cancer when I was thirteen, and on that fateful winter day my life forever changed.
While I have pictures and memories, neither of my grandparents are around today. But, what I learned in the months and years to follow is: if you let it, life can surprise you with incredible opportunities, adventures and people. For me, part of living is more than just embracing new experiences, it is marking my place in the world by trying to make a difference.
And to be honest, sometimes that difference is as simple as taking time out of your day to show a little compassion to someone. While I can be as sarcastic and sassy as the next person, I also believe wholeheartedly that we all need to have a little more compassion - for ourselves, our friends, family and people we randomly meet. I hope that in the end I am remembered fondly, as someone who loved and lived fully, showed compassion and touched people's lives for the better.
How do you want to be remembered?
With love,
DC3FO
And while that bond gave me love and safety as a child, it also provided me with my first experience of loss and heartache. I talked a little about loss in my post A little follow-up to Raised by Women. See, my grandmother unexpectedly lost her battle with cancer when I was thirteen, and on that fateful winter day my life forever changed.
While I have pictures and memories, neither of my grandparents are around today. But, what I learned in the months and years to follow is: if you let it, life can surprise you with incredible opportunities, adventures and people. For me, part of living is more than just embracing new experiences, it is marking my place in the world by trying to make a difference.
And to be honest, sometimes that difference is as simple as taking time out of your day to show a little compassion to someone. While I can be as sarcastic and sassy as the next person, I also believe wholeheartedly that we all need to have a little more compassion - for ourselves, our friends, family and people we randomly meet. I hope that in the end I am remembered fondly, as someone who loved and lived fully, showed compassion and touched people's lives for the better.
How do you want to be remembered?
With love,
DC3FO
P.S. If you watch the music video to "I Lived" the song takes on a whole new meaning - warning it is a tearjerker (or maybe I am just a sap - you'll have to decide that for yourself).