Making It Count

Sounds cliché – right?  Make every minute count.  I guess I never really got that until recently, and I continually struggle with achieving this on a daily basis – that’s right – a daily basis.  I think what comment I go back to when I need to remind myself to enjoy my life is my sister saying to me “I can’t tell you how many things I said no to because I wanted to stay home and clean my house.”  That sounded horrible when I heard those words, but  I must admit, I was in the “must stay home and clean mode” until the past year and a half, when I lost both of my parents.

After my parents passing, I thought – if they both could speak to me now, what would they say about missed opportunities?  Did they have any regrets?  That got me to thinking about things I’m glad I did, and what things I know I missed out on.  Two things stand out in my mind:

One thing I didn’t go to and should have:
My dear friend, Kevin, died when I was only 27 years old.  The last opportunity I had to see him, I was tired and opted to stay home. He died the next week.  This bothers me to this day.

One thing I didn’t want to go and am so glad I did:
Getting a chance to hear Barry Williams, a.k.a Greg Brady – that’s right – Greg Brady – perform at a local bar.  It was a seedy event, but my friends called me to go and I went rather begrudgingly.   It ended up being such a  fun night and such a memorable one.  I ran into people I hadn’t seen in ages and I even got my picture and a quote in the local newspaper.  That goofy event truly was one of  the more memorable I have had in years and it still keeps popping up in conversation – remember when we saw Greg Brady?

Don’t I look like I’m having tons of fun?? (yup –  that’s me on the right with one of my besties.)

I guess I could keep waxing on about missed opportunities, but there is no need.  Try to make this mantra part of your daily philosophy.   Once you do, it really does become engrained in your consciousness and dictates, at least for me, my decision-making.  As a support for daily positive living, visit Tiny Buddha, a website whose slogan is “Simple Wisdom for Complex Lives’.

MAKE IT COUNT!