I remember a movie I saw a long time ago called "Cooley High." There was one particular scene where this student who's name was "Preach" was asked by his teacher Mr. Mason "what do you want to do with your life?" Preach to Mr. Mason's surprise looked at him face to face with the greatest intensity in his eyes and said "I want to live forever!"
Mr. Mason looked back at Preach in a way that all scholarly academics do with such a perplex expression of dismay of not having a clue of how to answer the comment. On the other hand Preach showed a simple, idealistic, immortal gaze upon his countenance that said he was serious.
Have you ever thought about the idea of you being able to live forever? What would you do if that was possible? How might your life be different? Would it change the way your living at this moment? Or would things remain the same? What if I told you that you can live forever and I have the solution of how to do just that. How much would you pay to have this truth at your disposal? What kind of price would you be willing to pay?
There are three ways that you or I can remain around after we are physically gone. The solutions are free, but doing them and keeping them going will cost you.
1 Capture Quality Moments- There are so many people, places, and things vying each day for your time. If you want your life to never end then you must learn to choose the activity or event at the moment of greater lasting value.
Just the other day I was out shoveling the snow around my car. While I was busy doing this, two of my kids came running outside to play in the snow. One of them, my son asked if he could help me. I replied yes, thinking "I'll be finish in no time and well on the way with the day." I had already checked my watch twice since starting because my day was already set and I didn't want to miss a beat. I was a man with a plan!
Well his assistance didn't last long. In fact it was probably a "millisecond" and he was gone. One of my daughters was making a angel in the snow which seem to be more persuasive to my sons attention at the time. Besides it was fun! They made angels and made a snowman and carried on and on in laughter and pure joy.
Suddenly everything that I was focused on seemed to lose my interest and I immediately grabbed my phone and started taking pictures of my children while at play. Now if your kids are like mine then you know what happened next... I had Mr GQ and Ms USA posing away! It was an exhilarating experience and a lot of fun filled shots were taken.
Each day, week, month, and year, remember to take the time out and look for those precious opportunities that come and go away from us just as quickly as they came. Keep the camera ready at all times. You don't want to miss a simple memory because they last forever.
2 Create Impactful Experiences-If you have a family or plan on having one in the future you will need a strategy. Theres a plan that needs to be figured out for the entire group. Next your gonna need a plan of action for the you and your spouse. Finally, it is a serious must that you have a kids plan-and sometimes depending on how many children you have your gonna need sub-plans.
I know this seems like alot, but the key to meeting each ones needs is not focusing on the amount of stuff you do together. The answer is keeping them surprised.
My wife and I recently needed some R&R (rest and relaxation). So we decided to getaway. The decision was made and we planned the day but we didn't have a destination. At least none that she was aware of. We got the sitter all squared away, bags packed and off to the races. Where do you want to go, I ask my wife. Anywhere but here, she replied. So I pulled out my treasure chest of I.O.U"s blew the dust off and open the memory file.
I decided to take my wife to the "Cracker Barrel" restaraunt. Awhile back she mentioned wanting to go there and I remembered. The moment we arrived, I heard one of the most heavenly words that a husband could hear from his wife. "Oh honey! you remembered I wanted to come here!!" Surprise! Swish!!! 3pointer!
Always be ready for the unexpected. Never stop preparing for the encore. Keep your eyes and ears open at all times. Stay attentive to the needs and the wants of those you love. Remember what they love the most. Expect for direct and indirect opportunities to come up from time to time so you will always be prepared to deliver a lasting experience.
3 Collect Lasting Memories- In the movie "The Bucket List" actor Jack Nicholson played billionaire Edward Cole and actor Morgan Freeman who played a working class mechanic named Carter Chambers both were terminally ill and ended up in the same room as eachother. Carter starts writing a list of things he would like to do before he "kicks the bucket" but he later decides to throw the list away. Edward finds the list and the bucket list is born.
One of the great things about this movie is that these two men from two different worlds that are seemingly unknown to eachother come together under dire circumstances and forge a new friendship that is bonded together by this list.
Life is fickle. There are no guarantees. You and I can be "here today, and gone tomorrow." People, friends, family, love ones leave us all the time. We can't control or change the ultimate reality of death. But we can do something thats of greater importance in the interim of how we live.
Everytime you come across someone that you know in your life, remember this might be the last time that you ever get the chance to enjoy their company. So make the most of it. Be sure that you gather as much memories as you possibly can. Get out your list and write, dream, imagine, explore, fantasize about all the wonderful magical, unforgettable people, places, and things that you and the one(s) that you love can do.
Take the time to gather everybit of picture, video, messages, cards, items, etc. that you gather from each significant time that you have with them. That way no mater if your in eachothers presence or far away from one another at the time, you can always be near.
William Ross Wallace said "Every man dies-Not every man really lives."
Death has its day. Today is not it. God gave you and I one life to live. So live. If we focus more on making the most of the time that we have with eachother while we're here, then we leave pieces of ourselves internally within the world and the people we love. We live forever!
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