Life Should Never Be An Excuse To Live

Today, I spent the entire day with Marie Likarthis, a 97-year-old miracle of a woman.  I have missed her so very much and have lost so much valuable time with her, much like so many of my other friends, all because I let “life” get in the way all these years.  I thought I was building a business, a family, a beautiful life for myself and my now, ex-fiancé.  In losing all of that, I have been left with so much guilt and shame for leaving so many of my loved ones behind during my “building” of everything.  I excused my actions with how crazy work was, and it was crazy, hell to be frank.  But what I never realized, is that life is NEVER an excuse to LIVE. 

What is life without incredible people, like Marie, that surround us? What is a life spent wasting away in stress and overwhelming tasks whether it be at home or work, unless we can take time to enjoy those that lift us, gift us, and remind us what it is, to just live?

Marie has had an incredible life.  She was born before the Depression – nearly a Century ago.  It is clear from her stories today, that she remembers that agonizing era with complete clarity.  Her family’s loss of everything they had worked for.  Her working day and night just to stand in line to pay for coal and morsels of bread.  Managing more than 100 women in a factory that built engines for the B52’s during the war…her life has been nothing short of miraculous, and incredibly challenging.  She is 97 yet as sharp as a nail, as feisty as a hungry kitten, but most importantly, she is one of those people you know you’ll never meet another like for as long as you live.  Her age does absolutely nothing to deter her from enjoying life, and the people she loves. She reminded me today of the importance of just, living.  Of being in the moment and enjoying all those people that bless your life.  Marie will remind you however, of the people she has lost.  Because at almost a Century young, nearly every person in her stories has passed away.   And although her stories are full of vibrancy in what she and those people did together, she is then reminded at the end that they have passed, and she pauses with remorse to those losses.   Marie is at a stage in her life where she just has to cherish the moments she has with her aging friends because the loss already endured is too much to focus on. 

I never want to feel this guilt ever again – this guilt for the time I SHOULD have spent with all those people that matter to me.  Work, house projects, animal rescue, community volunteering, facebook for crying out loud – it all took over my life.  I thought it was my life.  But they just sucked the life out of me.  I had no balance.

During this journey, I have realized that my number one goal is to achieve balance in my life.  Everyone has different priorities to balance.  But at the end of the day, finding your center amongst all of those priorities is the only way you can be a whole person for yourself, and all those that you serve.  Find your balance.  Be in the moment.  Go call an old friend.  Write a letter and get off facebook.  It’s an incredible feeling, I promise.

Forgive and let live.  XOXO