'Now Is the Time - 170 ways to seize the moment' by Patrick Lindsay

No. 5

'cherish your family

They may exasperate and infuriate us.

But they are one of our most precious possessions.

Don't take them for granted.

We never know how long we will have them,

or they us.

They are our mirror and our anchor.

Treasure your time with them.'

'The family is the country of the heart.'

Giuseppe Mazzini (1805 - 1872)

Family - A Cherished Life

It doesn't seem all that long ago,

The years have flown so fast.

When we held our babies in our arms,

But that is all now past.

Now all we have are our memories,

The good times and the best.

For they are the ones we cherish most,

They stand above the rest.

The pitter patter of little feet,

upon the wooden floor.

Delightful giggles that filled each room,

Were sounds that we adored.

Our home once quiet became alive,

With music to our ears.

We cannot remember life before,

For they were empty years.

Each passing year slipped one by one, and

our babies grew to be

delightful personalities, who

were young and proud and free.

Inspiring individuals, they

explored their world and found,

excitement and crazy mysteries

That sent them outward bound.

They never ceased to amaze us both,

Ideas flowed thick and quick.

Life was a box of chocolates, dear,

We wondered which they'd pick.

All grown up now with lives of their own,

We look at them in awe.

But it is not yet over for us,

Because there's so much more.

There's graduations and wedding bells,

and grandkids, sure to come.

We  treasure all our memories, and

family of fun.

written & dedicated to my husband, Ian

by Debbie Smith - 13/12/2010

'Now Is the Time - 170 ways to seize the moment' by Patrick Lindsay

No. 4

'enjoy the day

Make the most of every day.

Use up the hours like a child.

There are no guarantees how many we get.

Older people will tell you

they rarely regret the things they did,

only the things they didn't do.

Don't spend your life intending to do something.

Start now!'

'And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count, it's the life in your years.'

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)

I don't know if you are like me, but don't the days seem to slip by more quickly than the day before? Hours seem to roll into each other and before I know it, the day is nearly over. I'm a bit of a list girl and if something doesn't make its way onto my list, I forget about it and it doesn't get done. I use to just have lists for every day activities, but I find I now need to write lists for all the other stuff I intend doing.

I feel compelled to do the things that have been written down. They are my challenges and I try my best to stay committed to meeting them. This is not my advice to anyone. I'm simply sharing my way of doing things. I need a list. I love to 'tick' things off as I go. It makes me feel productive. The trick is to only put important things on my list, otherwise I can fill my day with insignificant things and whilst I may have had a productive day...

exactly...productive is one thing, but is list making a way to 'seize the moment'? How can you plan for the spontaneous, the one moment at a time stuff that crops up. Lists have their place and are important for getting everyday things completed, however, it is most important to remember that the highlights usually come from the unexpected. I find personally, it's the spontaneous things I do is what produces energy for my day. People - strangers, I meet through the day and happen to strike up a conversation with about anything, anything at all can be a marvellous boost to my day. These are the little things that can help put smiles on dials, not to mention perhaps finding out something new that I didn't know before.

Ways to seize the moment can vary for the individual and can range from doing anything that you've never tried before. You can even kill two birds with one stone and commit an act of kindness whilst performing your seize the moment act. All you need to be is creative and willing to have a go...so, let's all give it a try...and have fun.

'Now Is the Time - 170 ways to seize the moment' by Patrick Lindsay

No. 3

'choose freedom

Too often we make our own cages:

of the mind, or the heart.

Or we allow technology to make them for us.

But we have the keys to unlock them.

We only need the will to use them.

Unlock your heart, love freely.

Unlock your mind, live freely.'

'The secret of happiness is freedom. The secret of freedom is courage.' 

Thucydides (460-404 BC)

Having the courage to try something new or make changes in our lives can be overwhelmingly one of the hardest challenges we ever have to face for a multitude of reasons. We get comfortable in our lives, jobs or situations and when it all boils down, it all depends on how uncomfortable we are prepared to tolerate before we are pushed, tipulated (I think I just made up a new word - I'm leaving it there because I like it), or shoved over the edge.

Remember when we were young and carefree? (If you're reading this and you fall into the young and carefree category, then please don't stop reading, take notes.) So, back to the mature acorns on the tree, do you remember? Do you remember how much easier it was to take risks and how we weren't too burdened by the consequences? It seemed easier to change jobs, move around, fall in and out of love and try out new stuff.

The longer we are around on the planet, and depending upon the choices we make, commitment to studies, careers, communities and partners slides into place and before we know it, we are caged, in some respects, of our own making. Now this alone is not a bad thing at all. We wouldn't do it if it was. However, once we've set our personal cages around us, when we do want to make a change because we discover we actually don't really like our choice, or we've changed our mind, that's when the fun begins. The stakes are higher because we've invested, sometimes greatly, into these different areas of our lives, and depending upon what stage of commitment we are at bears directly upon how much we are willing to lose or make change for.

We do need to be courageous to effect change, but we also need to remember to have balance to be effective while we are making the change/s...because sometimes these changes include and involve those we love. Change always impacts those around us, there's no way to avoid it. 

We only get to live one life so we need to make the most of it. We need to consider others, but we also need to consider ourselves. No one can make us happy. We are responsible for our own happiness and we need to nurture that. Our happiness will spill over on those around us. If we walk around with heavy hearts waiting for someone to cheer us up and they do happen along, it will only be a bandaid fix up.

Plan the change/s and consider all options. Write down the positives, negatives and consequences. Visualise - try it on and see what happens...then, seize the moment - and have fun...