One day, you’re going to wake up, and then, that same day, your heart is going to stop beating.

This is the truth. We all… (end, transtion, die, use whatever phrase you’re comfortable with).

One day your heart stops beating, and one day, everyone who loves you, loses a part of their heart as well.

Life – will – change. We can’t avoid it friends.

My friend texted me at 3am last night, she was in the hospital with her husband. He went to bed earlier than her and when she came to bed, he was not breathing. The panic she must have felt I can’t imagine, the terror on the ambulance ride over must have been agonizing. Tests revealed he had a seizure – more tests are being done,  but he is OK. He is alive.

I had another friend not so lucky. She also had a husband who went to bed earlier than she did. When she came up, he had already died – a heart issue. They went through the motions, agonizing ambulance ride, unswered prayers in the ER, yet his time had come.

My point? Some days, (most days actually), will keep going. The sun will rise, the sun will set for you.

But one day, it – will – end.

YOU – will – end.

Now, the glorious part about faith, is that is truly doesn’t – end that is. We go back to God, Universal Energy, again, call it what you may , 72% of Americans believe there is something out there higher than us. Most of us know we’re going somewhere.

I assume it’s glorious. Yet, I also assume it’s much, much different than our lives, experiences, interactions, and all that good or bad stuff we have here in this world. I also believe that we’ll be with our loved ones again, which is also awesome. But do I get to hold my husbands hand, as I did just a moment ago and look into his eyes and kiss him? Maybe. Maybe not.

I do have him right here, right now though. I can, now,  hold him and kiss him, touch him and laugh with him. To me, death is only sad because we leave this…this, life as we know it behind. My faith reminds me life-as-we-know-it is a one-time opportunity.

A one-time adventure to take all that stuff that makes you, you – and use it.

A one time opportunity to love those around you as much as you can. A one time opportunity for a life choosing to give, share, laugh, teach, hug, dance, learn, forgive, grow, serve.

Or not.

That choice is certainly yours.

I’m a fan of quotes. Here is one that resonates with me today:

The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and for deeds left undone. ~Harriet Beecher Stowe, Little Foxes, 1865

The friend who texted me last night, (well, this morning really), also texted me two days ago about the big fight she had with said husband. She was in tears, angry with him, hurt by something stupid he did, mad she allowed herself to say stupid things back.  She said they “made up” but she was “still mad”, there was a lot she needed to get off her chest but  just didn’t want to deal with it, so she let it go.

Hey this stuff is normal. That’s life. We fight, we cry, we make up, we love eachother again.

But recognizing the meaning of the quote above, don’t leave words unsaid. Don’t hold back what you need to do. For healing, for joy, for life, face what you need to face in every situation, each and every time it matters.

When you fight, make sure the healing has come, no matter what the situation. Make sure the wounds have fully closed, the words have been fully said, the forgiveness has fully been offered.

Then, get back to fully living again in between it all.

My husband and I, we have some people in our lives who are struggling, pretty bad. Like, if they don’t-change-their-ways-they-may-die-kind-of-struggling. Addictions, habits, bad choices. We feel an urgency they may or may not feel, and we feel compelled and anxious to try to save them. We can’t, of course, we know this. So we often ask ourselves one thing, “If they were to die tomorrow, what will we wish we did/said/acted upon, today?” And we try hard to do those things. It may be to no avail, but we are being true to us in the process and maybe/hopefully helping them.

“…for words left unsaid or deeds left undone….”

People, I’ll say it again.

This. Is. It.

So my words of wisdom today?

First, Do it. Whatever that means to you. Make the choice to do those things you want/need/should/dream of doing, and do them.

Second, love those in your life as much as you can. Don’t leave words unsaid. Show love, accept love, make love the center of your everything.

Third, and most important,  find your peace, find your God. Let that energy be your guide, and be your faith that when this life as you know it ends (which it will) something much more beautiful is ready and waiting for us.

Unti, them, we still have today. We still have this moment. We still have those sunsets and sunrises.

We still have LIFE.

Live it.