We are afraid of truth, afraid of fortune, afraid of death, and afraid of each other. Our age yields no great and perfect persons. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
You just discovered you have fifteen minutes to live.
1. Set a timer for fifteen minutes.
2. Write the story that has to be written.
15 minutes… All there is to do is breathe. In………..and out. That is life in its very essence. Otherwise, what good is 15 minutes, really? Should I clean the kitchen? Hug my children? YES to that one…cuddle the kids, love them, kiss my husband. And breathe. Otherwise, I would be utterly distracted by my fear of death. Of no longer being. Alive. I LOVE life. And life is breath. What other story is there to tell that could be told in 15 short minutes?
deleting and editing—waste of precious time.
Here it is- the essence of what I’ve learned in all these years:
Don’t take things personally.
Meditate/yoga/clear your head.
Give more than you think you can– money, time and energy.
Treat yourself well.
Be kind for everyone is fighting a tough battle.
Call your dad every day just to say hello and hear his voice; one day you won’t be able to have that simple pleasure anymore.
Cherish moments.
Read.
Don’t be afraid to be blunt, but try not to be overly opinionated.
Listen really attentively and don’t fear eye contact.
When you’re wrong and you know it, say, “I’m sorry.”
When you think you might be wrong, say, “I’m sorry. ”
It’s totally ok to say, “I don’t know.”
I like people who are real and admit that they’re imperfect.
Say thank you and generally be grateful for all the good.
Go with the flow. Surf the wave of what’s happening without fighting it, but still take a stand for things you think are important.
Share yourself, but don’t throw yourself away. Your time and energy are valuable. You don’t have to travel far or do extraordinary things to make a difference in the world. There are opportunities to make a difference in people’s lives all the time.
There are MO’s and PO’s (Mind Opps and Photo Opps). Sometimes you have to just be IN the moment and enjoy it with your own senses. Not everything needs to be photographed and videotaped and uploaded to Facebook.
And that’s my 15.
Effort & Ease 