You'll Never Be As Young As You Are Today

Live it up.  Live it to the fullest.  Carpe Diem.  Live like you were dying.  There’s a hundred ways to say it.  But they all mean the same thing….do it now, do it today because today is what you know you’ve been given. 

I don’t remember the exact moment that I decided that I was going to live my life to the fullest.  No one wants to believe that they haven’t been really living, or that they’ve been letting life pass them by.  But one day I realized that I was doing exactly that; day in and day out I was doing the same things over and over again, the same routine with the same people in the same places.  I wasn’t moving forward.  I wasn’t going anywhere.  I wasn’t living. 

Why wasn’t I living?  Fear.  That’s the only reason I have.  I was afraid of failing.  I was afraid of feeling embarrassed or being laughed at.  I was afraid that I would fall, that I would get hurt, or that I could die some awful painful death.  I was afraid of any and everything unknown.  But then one day I realized that of all of my fears, not a single one of them was as scary as the idea that someday I might turn around, look at my life and not see a single, spectacular thing.  I was terrified that something would happen to me and my life would flash before my eyes and all I would see was the same daily routine.

That fear changed my life.  The question was no longer “What do I have to fear?”, the question became “What can I do and what can I see?”.  I realized that I don’t remember a life before this one, so I needed to make the most of it.

 No, I don’t have a bucket list.  I hate the concept of a “Bucket List”.  I didn’t care for the movie and it pains my heart to have to watch it nearly every time it comes on out of love for Morgan Freeman.  Like everyone I have things I want to do, see, and experience, but instead of following some list I decided that I was going to live my life OPEN.  My motto was going to be “Try everything once” and since that day, I have. 

Life is truly incredible.  When I stopped saying “No” and started saying “Why not?” my life got a lot more interesting.   I’ve seen so many amazing, stupid and unique things.  I’ve learned new things.  I’ve loved and been loved by people that many don’t get close to because of where they are in life, or what they believe.  

I can’t tell you enough about all the awesome stuff I’ve done.  So, I’ll be that annoying person who shows you in pictures.

 30ft tall Eyeball, taken from inside my car 

 That's me, and my nephew's hand, feeding a baby tiger from a bottle

The Fort Worth Stockyards.  I love Texas and this is a truly awesome thing to see

Don’t let it pass you by.  Life is just too short.  Anyone who has ever lost someone who was young can tell you this.  It doesn’t have to be some big major thing, start small like I did.  When I go somewhere far away, I look up all of the little roadside oddities I can stop and see on the way (http://www.roadsideamerica.com).  I’ve opened my mind to talking with people from different races and cultures and people who subscribe to different ideas.  I make it a point to visit different ethnic restaurants and I try everything on the buffet.

I’ll leave you with this quote, that has been adapted and changed so many times over and I’m not even sure who the original author was.  But, it says everything we all ought to know:

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - drink in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming "WOO HOO, What a Ride!"