A Good Life So Far
Posted by Kirk M on 12 Jul 2007 | Tagged as: Just Thinkin
Once in awhile and idea will come my way that triggers all sorts of memories of the past and once in awhile…things long separated will join together and fall into place. Then, if I’m anywhere near my computer, I’ll sit down and put that idea into a post. So here I sit after a hard day’s work with my bones telling me all about it when I ran across a post at Successful Blog that held up a big sign and things started falling together once again. The above post triggered this thought…
I am truly blessed.
And then I realized that I truly was blessed. You see, years back when I was 18, I made a decision that would literally change my life (and then I told my parents about it) and because of that decision, my life throughout the years following that decision have been filled with amazingly varied and unique experiences. At that single moment when I made that all important decision, on my own without anyone else’s influence, I stepped onto the path that I would travel the rest of my life. And like any path that lays before you, sometimes the going can get very rough indeed where you find yourself having to forge your way through, clearing the way as you go. At times you may get lost and have to find your way back again. And so it was with me. There were times when I found it very hard to stay on my path and times when I thought I had lost it altogether. But it was my path in life…no one else’s. And that’s why I always found my way back.
All has not been roses and warm sunny days, that’s for sure but each experience, good or bad, had it’s worth in learning something from it–even if it was learning how not to allow myself to get into a similar situation again. Other’s were lessons in how not to give in to hatred and bitterness when all went bad for so long. And the most important; to take an experience for what it is–something to learn from. Always learning and always growing for when you stop learning from life’s experiences, life may just pass you right by taking your path with it and you may never regain that path again.
My father had this thing he said that I have taken to heart and try to remember every day. It’s not profound or poetic at all. Just straight to the point…
Don’t die before you’re dead.
Thanks Dad…I haven’t forgotten.
And now, with my fiftieth birthday less than two years away, with my disabilities that I have to deal with everyday (stemming from that decision I made long ago) and having to force myself past them so I can maintain the day job, I have absolutely no regrets about my how my life has gone and the path I’ve tread. Life has been good and I have no complaints.
And it’s not over yet…
And that, so far, is the greatest blessing of all.
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2 Comments »
on 15 Jul 2007 at 4:46 pm 1.Micki said …
How wonderful to be pleased when you take a look back then feel good about moving forward!
on 15 Jul 2007 at 7:50 pm 2.KirkM said …
Hi Micki,
It is…but it took a wile and a lot of lessons learned to get there. Did you ever notice that you can usually tell pick out those people who have learned from life from those who haven’t? It’s easier to do then to explain about it I think.