Go For The Gusto!

We each have the unique opportunity to hold life in our hands with wonder and awe. The moment that we are experiencing right now is extraordinary, amazing and sacred. There are miracles happening all around us. It is estimated that the population of the world in May, 2010 was 6,821,200,000. Imagine the reality of six billion eight hundred million experiences of life all happening right now. Each of us has a different perspective of what is truly going on. Every possible human emotion and life event is occurring. There is joy, sorrow, ecstasy, despondence, war, peace, birth, marriage and death. It would take an eternity to fully understand this one single moment in time from the irreplaceable viewpoint of all of the people who are in it. Why, then, would any of us be so self centered to think that we have all of the answers? We cannot even comprehend the very second that we having right now. We do not know when, how or where we are going to die. We are given this gift of here and now to treasure. Only a grateful heart and a sense of appreciation should accept it. What is our plan to deal with these singular wild and precious moments?

We don’t want to end up simply having visited this world. It is only possible to live fully if we abandon all notions of superiority, self importance or great wisdom. Little children are much closer to the truth than adults. They do not claim to have the answers. Like them, we must walk through the door of the present with curiosity and wonder. Everything is filled with possibility. Everyone is here to have a part of it. It is wasted only if we are closed off and self absorbed. We are called to participate with some measure of enthusiasm. Give up the narrow viewpoint. Let go of the doomsday attitude. There are fields of flowers and amazing discoveries to be had. The fullness of time is available. There is nothing to stop us except self conceived limitations. George Bernard Shaw observed that many of us live life as a "feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy."  We have another chance right now.  Let’s go for the gusto!

Little Things and Little Moments Are Not Little

Our lives seem to be filled with uneventful, little moments that are punctuated with occasional big times. The picture above is one of my Dad, at the grill, enjoying his life. He used to comment about someone having “a big time”. This usually involved an event such as a football tailgate, a party, a vacation or something of the kind. To him, however, it was also about making a big time. Simply cooking out in the back yard was fun and constituted a celebration. All of our little moments can be big times. We need to understand that most of them really are anyway. Whether we acknowledge them or not.

The little moments are so incredibly precious. Watching your kids eating their Cheerios in the morning. Seeing the first signs of autumn coloring the trees. Feeling the calm of night settling in on a warm summer day. Smelling the aroma of steaks on the grill. All of these little moments can slip by if we let them. They will grow in stature if we only notice them. Fully appreciating the moment at hand allows us to see the big picture in perspective. Enlarging the beauty of the here and now encourages gratefulness and cheerfulness. Even in the midst of stress, crisis or great sadness there are good things going on. Friends are lending a hand. Kindnesses are being extended. The sun continues to rise and the tides come in and go out. We can do more than endure and persevere.

We can value what we have in these little moments. We can then begin to appreciate their significance and celebrate their wonder. This is something that we can begin to practice right now. How can I have a big time today? Look around. Do you see it? Try again. Get up and walk around. Find the secret of the little moment. Now there is the beginning of a big time.