I want to post this quote everywhere: on my blog, on Facebook, on a t-shirt, on my damn forehead, just so no one misses it.
Losing my mom has taught me a lot, and one of the most important is that life is so shockingly short. Our time and energy are precious, and we have choices about what we spend them on. It’s mystifying to me how some people opt to blatantly waste time: on jealousy, pettiness, competitiveness, childishness, absolutely worthless drama and silliness.
I say: if you are hell bent on wasting life, go ahead. Knock yourself out. Gossip until your lips fall off. Whisper and lie and make up the most fabulous fabrications that your shallow head can muster. Stalk, compete, and hate to your jealous heart’s content. Whip up drama and storm about and indulge in infantile histrionics until you pass out from lack of oxygen.
Carry around your absurdity and melodrama everywhere you go. Wear it like a cloak. Caress it and adore it. It makes no difference to me. I am not interested in you or it. Bring it. I won’t take it. It’s your burden to fondle, and I am above it.
In the meantime…I willfully choose to be happy. I choose to take my husband’s hand, continue to build our life together, create even more memories with him. I choose love, happiness, growth, discovery, and hope. My priorities include only my loved ones, my family, my peace.
We have one shot at life. Why waste so much of it on meaningless drivel? It’s sad. I won’t do it. I love life. I love my husband, my stepkids, my family. I love myself. I won’t disrespect them or myself by frittering away the precious few moments we have together on abject silliness.
That is likely the biggest difference right there: because of love, I value, I cherish, I savor. Without love — and it’s not terribly surprising when some people end up bereft of it, given that they never dispense it on anyone but themselves– then what is left to treasure and honor beyond frivolity and foolishness?
Sweat & Sparkle 