Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Life Is Too Short and Time Flies


Yesterday we attended the church funeral of a greatly respected and well
loved man in our community.  He was a prominent physician who helped
many during his career.  He was also a great contributor to the arts and to
education in our small city.  His achievements were many and his life
ended far too soon.

The church service was standing room only.  All of our neighbors were
in attendance.  His three adult children gave very moving tributes to their
father and there was not a dry eye to be found.  His eldest daughter who
is a pathologist just like her dad, wrote a very profound tribute that
made a lasting impression on me and it's message was:

Life is far too short and time flies.  It is never too late to begin
again.  A simple message yet one we all often ignore.

None of us should waste a moment of the precious time we are given
here in this realm.  Each of us have talents that when allowed to flourish,
benefit the lives of others.  These talents are meant to be shared and not
hidden away.  One should never dismiss a talent as being too 
insignificant or unworthy.  Each day we are given an opportunity to
express our unique talent for the betterment of all, and we have
the opportunity to begin again.




I once worked with a woman who was born with Cerebral Palsy.  This 
affliction caused her to walk with a limp and prevented her from speaking
clearly, and her handwriting was impaired as well.  She was intelligent 
though, and was often very witty.  Her real talent however, was her 
beautiful and loving heart.  She never complained about her disability
although it was a daily struggle for her.  She was always kind to everyone
and never said anything hurtful.  She radiated goodness in a way that I
have never seen so fully in anyone else.  It was a blessing to know her
and she proved to others that the power of love is greater than any
other.  She was and is a true angel walking on this earth.



Here are two hand painted plates nestled on top of a scalloped one.
These two plates were painted by a fellow student in my Mom's
china painting class.  My Mom purchased these two plates at a
school art sale.  It is obvious to me that although the painter of these
plates was elderly, she was still expressing her talent to share with
others.  I always smile when I see these in my hutch.  Talent comes
in all forms, and from all ages.  Whatever your talent is, it is meant
to be appreciated. Don't hide it away, and don't be afraid to begin
again if you have ignored it.



Years ago I found this little clock at a thrift shop.  It was brown and kind
of homely, but I loved the shape of it and painted it to give it new life.
It's not a very special piece, yet it suddenly has new meaning to me.
Don't waste time.  Focus on the beauty of life.  Cultivate your interests.
Figure out what your talent is and work daily to make it grow.  Don't
focus on what you can't do, focus on what you can.  

Life is far too short and times flies.  Don't waste a minute of this
precious gift.

Big Texas Hugs,
Susan and Bentley


18 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. The day before my neighbor's funeral I was home alone having a pity party. As I sat through the church service, I was so ashamed of myself for wasting time thinking about what I didn't have, and not being grateful for what I have. Sometimes a "brick" needs to fall on me to get my attention.

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  2. Don't waste a minute of this precious life, I agree. Even when I was in my twenties I used to say that if we live to be 100, that is still a very short time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It does go by too fast, and it seems that time flies by faster and faster each year.

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  3. The clock you painted is so so so pretty. Lovely thoughts too.

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  4. I SOOO needed to hear this tonight, Susan. I feel like I have been burning the candle at both ends doing 'jobs' for people when I should just say NO. It is work I quit doing about 5 years ago and seem to be called back into doing it again.

    What a perfect message- stop doing what you don't want to do and do what you WANT to do...don't waste another precious moment. You have no idea how much this post has colored my world today. You know, I think sometimes we write posts not even sure why we are writing them. We wonder if our words fall on deaf ears or if they matter. Your words mattered today. xo Diana

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    Replies
    1. My dear beloved friend, your words never fall on deaf ears. You are a treasure to all who know you!

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  5. I love the little clock painted, I have a very similar clock so must try to paint it up to be prettier.

    I am trying to live my life to the fullest in my senior years, sometimes I forget this and whine about what I can't do financially

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    Replies
    1. We all whine from time to time ~ I am guilty of it. Sometimes we all need to be reminded that we are not alone in this world. Our actions have impacts on others and we should always strive to be the best we can be. It took a funeral to remind me of this message.

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  6. A few years ago my 33 year old son died in my arms after an illness, an illness that should not have taken him. It has taken 5 years for me to address all the mixed emotions that I hold because of it. My solace has been that He was an amazing person. People from his childhood to his professional contacts post university have told me all the wonderful, supportive and helpful things he did for them during his life. I knew that he was "helping" this person or that but never realized just how much he impacted their lives. For this I am thankful and try to be the person who helps and supports others. IT is his legacy to me.

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    Replies
    1. First of all, my heartfelt condolences on the death of your son. It's so very, very hard to lose a child. He must have been a truly kind and generous friend and his life had such a positive impact on others. The kind of person he was, is the kind of person we should all strive to be. God bless you and your legacy to honor him.

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  7. My Grandma Jewell who died at 97 would say she always felt 16 in her mind!!!! she loved life and gave her best to all.
    Ann

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  8. I have a saying I use often: "You never know when the last time will be the last time. Act accordingly." Sometimes things are out of our control and it's hard to see the good things in life, only the current situation.
    I am so sorry about the loss of your son.
    Myrna

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Oliver and I LOVE and read every comment.

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