Life is Fragile
A year ago my son-in-law came home from work and decided to mow the lawn. It was a routine chore, a way to release stress before settling in for the evening, it was also a choice that changed his life forever. As he mowed, he stirred up an underground yellow jacket hive. They attacked. Even with 30 or so stings, he made it into the house before collapsing in anaphylactic shock. He stopped breathing and his heart stopped beating. My daughter began CPR as my grandson called 9-1-1. EMS arrived in minutes, used the AED, and intubated him on their living room floor before rushing him to the emergency room. I met them in the ER where they called in a chaplain to sit with us.
He was in ICU on a ventilator for 20 days, and in the hospital for months but by the grace of God, he survived. He, and his family, now live with the effects of a traumatic brain injury. He has long and short-term memory loss, constant confusion, and frustration. He is unable to work, his personality has been altered, and his mind is fuzzy most days.
I often sit and ponder how something as small as a wasp (albeit an army of wasps that get vicious when agitated) could do so much damage and alter the lives of so many people in the blink of an eye. It is interesting how we go about our lives doing routine chores. not knowing what the next few minutes could hold. Life is fragile.
As much as we try to avoid thinking about it, we are all one sting away from the end of life as we know it. Whether that is the end of our lives, or whether it is the end of the life we have been building. We often get so caught up in the everyday routine of living that we lose sight of our priorities, the truly important things that create a vivid and fulfilled life.
What would we focus on if we acknowledged that our lives could change in a moment? Would we:
- Spend more time with family and friends
- Laugh more, worry less
- Say the things we are afraid to say
- Forgive, apologize, and let go of things that we have held onto too long
- Travel to that place we have always wanted to see
- Do something unexpected, exhilarating, and fearful
- Start writing the book that has been hidden inside us
- Eat our favorite foods, drink our favorite drink
- Volunteer to serve others
- Slow down or maybe speed up
In the study of Positive Psychology there is a diagram that challenges us to ask the question, “ Am I ?”
Many of us find ourselves jumping from languishing to striving to settling, rarely spending time in the flourishing box. We have a list of things we would love to do, be, and accomplish, if only……. We go through life as if time is unlimited and what we put off today, we assume we will be gifted a tomorrow to achieve. We cannot know what “wasp” is out there waiting around the corner. Why wait? There is never a perfect time, a perfect plan, enough money, or _______ (name the excuse). Life is too fragile and too unpredictable not to jump in with both feet, do all that we can do, create what we need to create, roll with the punches when necessary, and live our best life now!
If you are striving but not thriving, have a bucket list with nothing checked off, or if you find limiting beliefs holding you back from aiming for the best life possible, book a free coaching call and let’s have a conversation. Together we can start creating a path to your best ____________(name your dream).
