Maximizing Every Moment Before the Clock Says "Time's Up"
As I sit here, my fingers tapping rhythmically on the keyboard, sipping a lukewarm cup of coffee, I can't help but ponder about the brevity of life. Life is like grains of sand slipping through your fingers ––you can try to hold onto it, but it's destined to slip away. We often get so caught up in the hustle and bustle, the monotonous routine, or getting down the rabbit hole, chasing some dreams, that we forget to live. To truly live.
Time is a tricky companion. It's always there, ticking away quietly in the background, but it's only when it starts running out that we finally notice its presence. And then we find ourselves in a frantic race against time, an endless list of things to do, places to see, people to meet. But the hands of the clock keep moving, indifferent to our pleas for pause.
JUST DO IT!
My co-author for ‘Gnight, Sara /’Night, Heck', Mike Dee once suggested I should travel to Paris and write. “Do it while you still can and while it still an option for you,” he advised numerous times. It was one of the soundest advices, prompting me to take the leap—and I am eternally grateful for doing so. Why not seize the day while we still have the luxury of time? Why not pursue those dreams we've harbored while they're still within our reach, and while it still an option for us? Climb that mountain. Write that novel. Learn to strum that guitar. Compose that music. Explore the world, if possible. Profess your love. Because one day, these opportunities may merely become echoes of what might have been.
CHOOSE THE ONE WHO CHOOSES YOU.
When it comes to love, always choose the person who returns your feelings. Always. One of my eccentric friends on Twitter, @winegeekguy, wisely said, "Opt for the heart that echoes your love, not the one that silences it. Be with someone who treasures you, rather than taking you for granted." There's an undeniable comfort and warmth in knowing that you are someone's priority, that you are desired. So why compromise? Invest your time and energy in what returns your passion, and in who mirrors your affection. Life is too short to hand out your energy where it isn't valued.
FIND THE BEAUTY IN EVERY UGLY SPOT
In this world where ugliness often overshadows beauty, it's crucial to look for the silver linings. My husband and best friend, Carl, taught me years ago that every flaw conceals a unique beauty waiting to be uncovered. Each person, each situation, holds something beautiful within. It simply requires a compassionate heart to discover it. Perhaps you've encountered someone in a dark mood or witnessed a poor decision, a botched deal, or a fractured relationship. Every event can significantly influence our mood. Therefore, always extend the benefit of the doubt.
EMBRACE MORE
Love more deeply. Kiss more passionately. Smile more frequently. Reach out and extend your hand to others. Say "I love you" at every opportunity you get. Sing at the top of your lungs and dance as if nobody is watching. Revel in the rain, allowing each droplet to wash away your anxieties and fears. Isn't that what life is truly about?
Ultimately, life's essence lies in happiness. Discover your joy, your peace. It might be nestled within the pages of a book, woven into the melody of a song, enveloped in the warmth of a hug, or found in the serenity of solitude. Hunt for it, embrace it, treasure it. Because when you're reflecting on your life from your deathbed, it's these moments of pure, unadulterated happiness that will bring a smile to your face.
So, here's to life in all its forms –– messy, chaotic, yet beautifully unpredictable. Let's not just exist, but truly live before time slips away.
Justine Castellon is a brand strategist with an innate ability to weave compelling narratives. She seamlessly blends her professional insight with her passion for literature. She writes about her journey as writer in between peotry and short stories. She is the author of two novels –– Four Seasons and The Last Snowfall.
(Twitter/X @justcastellon)
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