I have a standard loop for my dog walk in the mornings. There is a detour I can take through a cemetery. It’s the same distance, but it’s much more peaceful with the nice trees and I get away from all the cars on the roads. It’s peaceful there, as it should be.
Today, I came across a man I had seen before. He bikes over with a small bundle of flowers to a corner gravestone. He moves slowly on the bike and off, his aging joints supporting his strong frame, but he is not as young as he once was. He places the flowers down by the gravestone in a small vase, and then stands there with his hands clasped in front of him as he begins to talk. He’ll talk for a few minutes to the gravestone. I didn’t listen in, I didn’t want to be rude. From his demeanor and appearance, I can guess he’s updating someone about his day and his life and just talking through things.
It reminded me, in all the chaos and hectic frenzy that life throws at us, we sometimes forget that we are living. We forget how brief and beautiful this world is around us. We forget how precious and rare are the moments we share with those around us. And how, all too soon, we could be that old man with the flowers telling someone how much we miss them.
Life is a gift and our experience here is ours, no one else’s.
Don’t be robbed of your passion.
Don’t settle for someone else’s dream.
Don’t worry about what the future holds.
You are here now, embrace it and embrace those around you that you love.
Namaste,
Kevin
