He put out a “Gone Writing” sign for the world to see. He had to
set aside what was important for what was essential. He had books to write. 46
titles. He said that if he only wrote one book per year he’d be 115 when he
finished. If he wrote three books per year he’d be 80.
He said the most valuable real estate on earth are cemeteries.
Because of all the unfulfilled dreams buried therein: books never written, songs
never sung, paintings never done, poems never penned, sculptures never shaped…
Alas for those who never sing,
But die with their music in them!
~ Oliver Wendell Holmes
In other words, people go to their graves every day without
releasing into this world what God placed in them to bless humanity.
Recent life threatening trials in my own life have awakened in me
the need to seize the day. Every day. When your world is shaken to its core you
see just how fragile life is and how vital not to waste valuable time. At the
moment I have more songs to be released and at
least 3 book titles. One finished, 2 titles to go. Possibly more, as new
ideas emerge.
What Legacy Will You Leave Behind?
“Oh very young, what will you leave us
this time
You're only dancin' on this earth for
a short while…”
~Cat Stevens
A few short years ago my youngest daughter and I discussed her new
word of the day: “procrastinate.” Yesterday I found in a drawer a poem she
wrote when she was very young.
Tomorrow
I’ll pick up my room
Till it’s tidy and straight
I’ll eat cabbage and broccoli
And clean my plate
I’ll visit my next door neighbor
(who’s 82) and fetch her paper
I’ll grab my nature journal
And sit under the crepe myrtle
And be a Real Writer
Like … Beatrix Potter!
Tomorrow I’ll…
Hey wait – why don’t I
Just start today?
But back to the fellow with the 46 book titles to finish. I’ll ask
you the same questions he asked me.
What dream is in your heart?
What do you really desire to do?
What’s holding you back?
Yes, I tend to agree with the idea that cemeteries are full with "unfulfilled dreams", but not particularly bothered by it.
ReplyDeleteIn my younger days, I got afflicted with a rare autoimmune disease. It was a great miracle I even survived. After that, I gave up ambitions and struggles as I was afraid the disease might return, and I wanted to live more than anything else.
I those days, Genetics got blamed for almost evertything. Stress is a more recent one. So, it was kind of a God-sent thing that made me constantly think of stress and ways to minimize it. It helped, still does.
I don't have any specific talent like painting,sewing,photography, writing etc.. so I'm not worried about achievements before I go. I just want to live and be able to enjoy the little pleasures of Life. I've come to value Life after I almost hit the alternative. My wish/dream is, of course, Good Health.
DUTA, you are a testimony to the beauty of simply living. Your comment reminded of Thoreau’s philosophy of living deliberately: “to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”
DeleteYou have lived, it appears, life to the full. Nothing like suffering and confronting the end of the journey early in life to make us appreciate TODAY and what it has to offer. Sending you wishes of good health and wholeness for the remaining days ahead, and praying many more blessings into your one wild and precious life.
Thank you for your kind words and wishes.
DeleteSincerely spoken. Hugs!
DeleteYes, so sad when one's life ends with so many dreams unfulfilled. We do need to seize the day, don't we, Debra? I know I want to live each moment intentionally.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, my friend!
Martha, look at you and all your stories and all your meditations of the heart. The last person on earth to worry about going to their grave with the music still within is you, my friend.
Delete