What would you do if you had one more day ...
You picture tragedy happening like it does in movies; little signs building slowly to a big event. Sorry, hate to burst your bubble. That's not the way it is. It happens suddenly - in the middle of life. You're having a great time, not thinking about the future at all, and suddenly things change and someone you love is moments away from death.
This whole experience with Dad is really changing the way I look at life. The spring before his heart attack, Dad had me print off a copy of the Survivor application on the CBS website. He not only believed he could compete ... but he believed he could win. Six months later, he flatlined twice in an emergency room. Life's neither fair nor just.
Every day that we walk this path with him, I learn something new. So, I'm going to start keeping a list of everything I want to experience in my life. I plan on keeping it in my purse and adding to it whenever an idea strikes me. So, to keep my plan on track, here's the first five things on my "One More Day List" ...
1. I'm going to Disneyland - I don't care if the kids are grown. Even if it's just (my ex-husband) and myself, I want to walk through the castle, ride the teacups, and sing "It's a Small Small World" at least once in my life.
2. I love it when we're cruising together - I've wanted to go on a cruise for ten years now. There's never enough time ... and we need to make time.
3. California dreaming - I've been to the East coast, seen the Atlantic, swam in the warm waters of the Gulf, and now I want to play in the sand on a sunny California beach. Can you imagine anything more beautiful than watching the sunset over the Pacific?
4. Rocky Mountain high in Colorado - I've been to the Smokey Mountains but never to the Rocky Mountains. It's not like I want to ski ... not a chance ... but I want to take pictures and enjoy the mountain scenery.
5. Vacation all I've ever wanted - I want to get a massage. One time, we gave a gift certificate to one of our best friends for her birthday. It was for a pre-paid day at the spa ... and considering she's just had a baby, we assumed she'd love it. She never even used it. Two years later, the business went under and all that money and good will went right down the drain. What a waste.
I recently read this and it made me smile ...
"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "Hot damn!"
I'd like to think there's a happy medium in there somewhere ...
I went Rocky Mountain climbing
I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named Fumanchu
And I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter
And I gave forgiveness I'd been denying
And he said someday I hope you get the chance
To live like you were dying
Tim McGraw - Live Like You Were Dying
