After much procrastination, I am finally starting my blog. I'll admit that I'm one of those people who needs major inspiration...a flash of an idea that won't let me go before I begin something new. For example, after writing a lot as a teen, I took almost a decade off before picking up the pen again at age 30. Yep, the big 3-0 hit me kind of hard and I knew I didn't want to waste any more time in following my dream—so millennial of me, I know. 

     Perfection in writing is subjective, but in my case I've been fearful that my standards aren't up to par.  Which is why it is so hard to share my thoughts...myself.  I hope you'll be kind as you read (if you're still reading, that is) through this first post which will serve as an introduction to this blog I've entitled: T.I.M.E.  I will be exploring the first letter's topic in this post, and most likely in one or two more to come. 

TREASURE:

To Value Highly

     So, time, right? An immense gift we take for granted; notice I use the word, immense, rather than lengthy or endless. When I was younger, I seriously thought that my time here on earth was a given; because I lived a safe and "normal" life, I would live forever and my youthful days would go on and on. Fast forward about fifteen years. To some, I am still young; I still look young, I still act young. Inside, I am and forever will be, twenty. But, the truth is, the minutes that have passed since then are too numerous to count, and many have been wasted.

     So, what to do about this? In my darker moments, I get depressed.  The feeling of regret is something no one can explain to you; it has to be learned through experience—not that I would wish this on anyone. There are times when I wish for a powerful, glowing lasso to appear in my hand, and to hear a voice out of a cloud telling me to go ahead and take back all of those squandered minutes and then to relive them, one by one, with the right perspective. But, that will never happen. So, instead?

     Live.  Seriously!  Move forward with an awareness that the minutes available to us here on earth are short. Treasure them, whether they be spent with family, friends, or on your own, doing what you love.  One thing that absolutely kills our ability to treasure is this wallowing in regret that can actually become a type of drug. It becomes something to cling to that we feel defines our current struggle, gives us a purpose.  Maybe it's a minor form of depression, maybe it's simply self-pity. Either way, I eventually tell myself to snap out of it. I know that for others it isn't that simple, and I am in no way trying to demean what some of my fellow human beings are going through. My heart goes out to those who struggle with clinical depression. Who cannot find the strength to raise their head from the pillow with each new day's sun that somehow never STOPS RISING.  I could never compare even my darkest moment with the ones they are living on a daily basis. If you are not suffering with that type of medical condition, then what is it that is keeping you from living, from enjoying the minutes you have been given? What happens with the dawning of each new day in your life? Perhaps you need to stop, and learn to treasure.

     Treasure miracles, great and small. Today, the world is so incredibly connected that we have access to plenty of stories to inspire us.  The birth of a baby by c-section in a Syrian hospital, who was worked on and willed to life by a team of doctors, had as much effect on me as stories of my own friends' miracle babies.  We are all connected. And I love the stories too, of people who work part of the year doing a job they went to college for, only to go and spend all that money in the other part of the year helping to save animals in places of the world where they are abandoned.  Of course, given the choice, I'd probably never set up an orphanage for dogs and cats, but that's me. My point is, that I'm awed by those doers whose example is documented and spread across the world to touch us, you and me, and encourage us to treasure miracles.

     Treasure others. Ah, now this one is a hard one. Why is it that the advice so often given to parents is to 'treasure every moment?' I'll tell you why. Because people know people. And those that have passed through parenthood and are looking back, are filled with regrets. Regrets for the times they didn't stop and read a book to their kids. Or for the extra long phone call that could have taken place after the kids were in bed. Or regrets that they were not the one who taught their kid how to ride a bike. These parenting veterans know all to well, how easy it is to be selfish toward others. And let's not forget our significant others. And our families and friends. The people in our circles who crave connection with us.  Who need us. How horrible it is to waste minutes not treasuring others.

     And lastly, treasure time itself. I'll come full circle to this being my first blog post. I have a dear friend who has been pushing me, encouraging me to start writing a blog. Why did I wait so long? Why does anyone procrastinate before getting to the good stuff of life? And why is it, that it takes a whole decade in our twenties to discover ourselves so we can finally start living to our potential in our thirties? I kind of, sort of remember someone telling me to enjoy my twenties. But, boy did I hear it said a lot more a couple of years ago when I hit my thirties. 'Don't worry, you're going to love this time of your life.' I gotta tell ya– all that did, is made me regret every second of my twenties. Why couldn't they have been as good?  Why were they wasted? Well, the answer is never easy to arrive at. The deep, philosophical answer anyway. The simple answer is: I did, for the most part, enjoy those minutes. And from a macro-perspective, I'm sure it seemed like I was treasuring every second with my beautiful children and wonderful husband. Coming in a bit closer, to the inside of myself, you would have been witness to the lack I felt. 

Hence, my writing. I'm looking forward to a journey of trying to reach others (maybe you?) with my plea to truly treasure your minutes, to chase your passions, and to live out your dreams.  But, don't begin any of that for the wrong reasons.  Money, fame, and power will only bring a temporary fulfillment. It could be something as simple as planting an herb garden, or volunteering at story time at your local library. Or learning to play a musical instrument. Or reading a good book.  Or saving money to travel to your dream location. Ask yourself the question: what would make me treasure miracles, others or time more right now?  And then, do it.

Thanks for reading– if you made it this far, I'm honored and grateful.  Leave me a comment about what YOU'VE been wanting to do, that just might cause you to treasure life to its fullest.

x.o. Rachel