Life is short be grateful

Life is short...be grateful

I remember one Sunday a few years ago I was driving to church. It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining, the birds were chirping and I was giving thanks for all of my blessings.

On days like these all is right with the world. This was one of those mornings when you wake up feeling great, smiling for no other reason then your grateful just to have woke for another day.

There are days like this, that this gratitude overwhelmes me and I cry because I know where I've been and how far I've come.

I take nothing for granted, I give thanks all day to God for what I have now and I don't mean material things, I mean the gratitude, the peace and the joy I feel now.

But everything can change in a second and I know that as well. On the way to church that day,

I got a message from my church husband, that his brother had passed away. He was in his prime with a wife and children, he was young and who knew that this would happen to him.

Here today, gone tomorrow...that is why I always tell you to enjoy life now, don't wait until....

I'll be happy when....I meet the right person, I get the perfect job, when I lose 20 pounds, when I have enough money...

Or I'll do it when....the kids move out, when I retire, when I have money....

There are so many excuses we give ourselves, so many missed opportunities because we think we have so much time here. We are not grateful for the here and now, we are not present in the moment and so these things, these wonderful moments slip right past us.

We are always looking for the bigger, the better, the next best thing that we don't even see this best thing. I more than most know how short life is...my father died when I was turning 16, he was 45 and full of life.

My two best friends David was killed in a drunk driving accident at 19 and a year to the week later his brother was killed, he was 21.

My Grandmother, my "Big daddy" , a man who was like a father, My favorite aunts, Nancy and Aunt Kay, both young and taken too soon.

My dear friend Walter who was 46 and full of life, my step father, who was an amazing man, who then died two days later after Waltie.

My mom, my best friend who's life was cut short at 73.

Yes, I know too many losses, too many people who had their whole lives in front of them but was taken too soon, all of them not knowing it was going to be their time.

Especially in the last two years when the world turned upside down and we all lost so many people we know and love, nothing can be taken for granted.

So what would you do if you knew when it was going to be your time?

Would you take that dream vacation? Would you spend more time with loved ones?

Do you have a bucket list?

What have you dreamed of doing for years, yet put it off?

I started my bucket list when my mom passed, realizing how miserable I was. I got divorced, I've been hot air ballooning, I've jumped out of a airplane, I did a marathon and a triathlon

(I hate running and suck at swimming but pushed myself to learn)

I have a vision board and every year I take something off...I went to Greece on my 50th, I got a tattoo, I walked on fire with Tony Robbins, I started my own business, I bought a home all by myself...these and many, many more things, all because I know how truly short life is.

I am grateful for each and every day extra that God gives me and I don't plan to waste a second on negative thoughts, on a crappie attitude, on people who are phony, on drama or bullshit.

I have been through hell and back there again, I know what the bottom looks like and every day I cry because I know how far I've come. So I am taking my own advice, I live for the moment, I am doing all I want to do, I am living my life large!

So today my friends remember this, life is so very short, in one moment all of it can change.

Do the things you want to do today, spend more time with loved ones, forgive, travel, do the things you would do if you knew your time was limited because your time is limited, you just don't know how limited it may truly be

Laugh often, love big, live large and when it's your time to go, go out like I am going to do screaming

"What a frigging ride!"

"Be the change you want to see"

 @TreadmillTreats