Time

I wrote this on my status today:

The greatest resource we have isn't money or power or technology, but time. Time that you spend with the people you love, your family and friends, and all of the people out there that you can touch with kindness and compassion.

It's what I said during my father's eulogy almost 16 years ago. It's deeply personal, and something that changed me forever when I said it back then, and something that reminds me of what's important today.

Sure, sometimes I forget, get caught up in the hectic nature and business of life, my own selfishness, and my priorities change temporarily. But, in the end, it really goes back to those simple words. Time. Time you spend with the people you love, doing the things you love, living life, and being happy. Time. Time you spend with others who can benefit from your touch, from your kindness, from your compassion.

Sure, there are other resources. Air, food, love, etc. But, man, do any of these really matter without time? It's so short, so precious, and so easy to take for granted. And you might be thinking, nah, money's more important, power is more important? Really? I respect that, I have an open mind. But, I tell you, it costs you nothing, it takes zero power to call your mom, your dad, your best friend ... and say hello, or spend a moment with them. It costs you nothing to smile at someone, to say hello, to have compassion for others, and that moment, that time you spend is with you always.

Of course, there's God, there's your faith. The time you spend with God, with your faith ... that's just as important. For me, it's something I never have enough time for, to be with God, have him walk with me, forgive me, lead me and for me to be his humble child, learning always from his grace. I thank God for everything I have, for my life, for the beauty he has surrounded me with, and for the blessed time he has given me.

I pray for you, my friend, who may be reading this. That you may find time to realize the importance of this gift we all have, the time we all can choose to spend, however we want, but considering using it to better ourselves, our loved ones, and those in the world who need it most.

Making It Happen

I wrote this today:

"Decided finally to pursue a lifelong dream, and begin to make it happen ... today. Thank God for pointing me the way."

I have been thinking for a long time about what I want to do with the rest of my life, and if you've followed this blog from the beginning, it's been a mish-mash of directions, thoughts, and prayers. All over the place, a big brainstorm, a big experiment, and lots of different and sometimes conflicting thoughts.

As I reflect myself on the past few years, I see big changes in the way I think about things, and how I'm prioritizing my life. The original goal from two years ago remains the same, but tweaked a bit with life's experiences in tow.

One of the biggest things that happened was my choice to become vegan/vegetarian for a long while. I still am "pretty-much" a vegetarian, but I don't like to use those labels anymore. I can eat whatever I want now, and not really worry about it. I do eat meat, but not very often, and I tend to be very open now about people's choices and what they believe about food. I still buy organic, still eat lots of fruits and veggies mostly, probably eat a lot less than I used to overall, and I still exercise quite a bit, albeit with a different routine and focus now.

I think it's all part of evolution, learning, and growing. You try stuff, you see what works for you, you form strong opinions and test them, and then you adjust accordingly as time goes on.

Well, back to my original point, making it happen. I'm going to do it finally. I'm going to set in motion some long term goals I've been laying out for myself, the intersection of my passions. Health, fitness, nutrition, and exercise. And kids. It's going to take a while to do this, but it starts today, with this declaration, with this commitment to get qualified, certified, and gain the experience necessary to bring this vision into fruition. Long term, it's what I want to do, and I think it'll be a life-changing, career-changing event for me. I pray that I can do it, make it happen, and realize this grand vision.